- Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is in Norwich today to sign historic Norfolk devolution deal
- Proposed deal gives Norfolk County Council a directly elected leader with greater control over skills delivery, building, and transport budgets
- Agreement means that 50% of England now covered by directly elected leaders – showing important progress since the Levelling Up White Paper.
A landmark devolution deal, which puts money and power over building, regeneration and skills into the hands of leaders in Norfolk will be signed today by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove. Norfolk will be devolved power over their Adult Education budget, so they can shape provision in a way that best suits the needs of Norfolk’s economy and will receive immediate support to build new affordable homes on brownfield sites, as well as more capital funding to support the delivery of housing and regeneration. The deal will also see Norfolk County Council handed control over a £600 million investment fund – this will be guaranteed for the next thirty years. This will enable the county to drive growth and plan for the long-term with certainty as it looks to level up and unlock its full economic potential. Norfolk will also get a directly elected leader of the council. This not only provides a single person who is accountable to the people of Norfolk but gives the county a local champion who can attract investment and be a stronger voice in discussions with central government. The Levelling Up Secretary will today attend a ceremony in Norwich with Cllr Andrew Proctor to officially sign the deal. Michael Gove will also visit Suffolk today to sign a devolution agreement with Suffolk County Council, which will transfer further money and power out of Whitehall. The deals follow Cornwall Council who just last week signed their own devolution deal with the government, unlocking powers and long-term funding of £360 million. With three new devolution deals signed in the last seven days, 50% of England will now be covered by a devolution deal and reaffirms the government’s commitment in the Levelling Up White Paper to offer a devolution deal to any area that wants one by 2030. The deal sets out the government’s plans to devolve more power to Norfolk County Council through:
- Investment: It will bring decades of funding worth £600 million to the county which will improve the lives of Norfolk’s residents and allow local leaders to spend money on their local priorities.
- Housing: The deal will provide almost £7 million to regenerate brownfield land into beautiful, affordable homes and drive growth across the area; Norfolk will also receive greater compulsory purchase powers to help drive regeneration.
- Education: The agreement devolves the Adult Education Budget so they can shape provision in a way that best suits the needs of residents and the local Norfolk economy.
- Transport: An integrated transport settlement starting in 2024/25, to support the area to improve key transport infrastructure priorities.
- Infrastructure: The deal sees £5.9m of capital funding in this Spending Review period to support the delivery of housing, regeneration, and development priorities Norfolk.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “We are putting power into the hands of local leaders in Norfolk because we know important decisions are best taken closer to home, by people who know what their challenges are, not by those sitting behind a desk in Whitehall. “This landmark deal allows leaders in Norfolk to take forward local priorities over the longer term, and it will be for the people of Cromer, Norwich, and Great Yarmouth to elect someone who is best placed to represent their unique interests as a county. “I look forward to working closely with whoever the new leader is to level up Norfolk and unleash the full economic potential of the whole county.” Norfolk County Council leader, Councillor Andrew Proctor, said: “I’m delighted that Norfolk is well positioned to gain additional powers and money to improve people’s lives, thanks to the County Deal we have agreed in principle with the Government. “The aim is for decisions and funding previously controlled in Westminster to be agreed in Norfolk, for Norfolk. “Striking a deal will help us to boost our economy through jobs, training, housing and development, to improve our transport network and to support our environment. “Getting to this point shows that the Government sees Norfolk as a can-do county. I’m confident that we can make a success of this and that more powers and funding would follow.” Nova Fairbank, chief executive of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, said: “A county deal for Norfolk would be welcomed by the business community. To have guaranteed annual funding over a 30-year period is absolutely going to be for the benefit of the business community. Plus, the ability to make local decisions on jobs, transport, infrastructure, housing, and skills is really important to the business community.” These deals are just the first steps in transferring power away from Whitehall into areas that want them. The East Anglian agreements mean that six of 13 places invited to negotiate devolution deals in the Levelling Up White Paper have now signed agreements with government. Suffolk and Norfolk join Cornwall – who signed their own deal just last week – York and North Yorkshire, and the East Midlands who have already signed devolution deals this year – these deals equate to another five million being covered by a devolution deal in 2022 alone. The deal is now subject to local consultation, a council resolution to change their governance model so that electors directly elect the council leader, and elements, such as the transfer of new powers, require parliamentary approval to secondary legislation. The deal envisages the election of a directly elected leader in May 2024. Subject to the passing of the relevant measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Suffolk and Norfolk would call the directly elected person the “elected leader” of the County Council.
