The team charged with putting the case for Norfolk and Suffolk having greater control over local finances and decision-making is due to meet Government representatives, including Lord Heseltine, in London tomorrow (4th November).
Representing all of Norfolk and Suffolk’s 16 councils and New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the ‘Challenge Session Team’ is made up of:
- Cllr. George Nobbs, Leader, Norfolk County Council
- Cllr. Andrew Proctor, Leader Broadland District Council and also deputising for Cllr. Nick Daubney, Chairman of the Norfolk Public Sector Leaders’ Group
- Cllr. Alan Waters, Leader, Norwich City Council
- Cllr. Colin Noble, Leader Suffolk County Council
- Cllr. David Ellesmere, Leader, Ipswich Borough Council
- Cllr. Jennie Jenkins, Chairman of the Suffolk Public Sector Leaders’ Group
- Mark Pendlington, Chairman of New Anglia LEP.
This team has been charged with outlining initial thoughts on what devolution could mean for the two counties following proposals drawn up by all of Suffolk and Norfolk’s 16 councils and New Anglia LEP and to answer any challenges and questions put to them by senior civil servants and headed by Lord Heseltine.
The discussions will set out the areas over which the councils and the LEP would like more local control with the aim of boosting economic prosperity and social cohesion. Long-term infrastructure and transport funding, plans to kick-start more housing projects and a focus on productivity, are some of the ideas up for discussion, as are greater control over youth and adult skills and more joined up health and care services.
At this stage, the main focus for the team is on the powers the partners would like to have from Government, rather than the structures in which those powers would be delivered. Any final deal document would need political and democratic sign-off by all 16 councils and New Anglia LEP.
Mark Pendlington, Chairman of New Anglia LEP:
“Our devolution plans focus on the three key elements that businesses across our two counties highlight time and time again – greater certainty and local control over skills provision, infrastructure, from roads and rail to broadband and mobile connections, and business funding and support. More freedom and flexibility over these areas will bring greater benefit to our local economy, boosting jobs, productivity and our inward investment opportunities.”
Cllr.George Nobbs, Leader of Norfolk County Council:
“The devolution deals for Greater Sheffield and the North East are beginning to give an idea of the government’s thinking. Both are benefiting financially from their deal and both are roughly the same size economy as that of the combined Norfolk/Suffolk bid. We in East Anglia are in a good position to make a compelling case for greater devolution to drive economic growth and support job growth in the two counties.”
Following the challenge session there will be further discussions with Government before further details will be submitted to Government in the period leading up to the Comprehensive Spending Review. If proposals are accepted the issue of how any new powers will be structured will then be considered in more detail including formal consultation with stakeholders.
