The new Labour government has agreed a Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal, which will include a directly-elected mayor.
Four devolution agreements have been signed off today, including mayoral agreements in Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull & East Yorkshire. The agreements will be subject to parliamentary consent and local authorities signing off.
A mayor will be elected in Greater Lincolnshire in May 2025. Their powers will cover transport, housing, skills, and investment to shape the future of the area.
It is understood the deal will include an extra £24m a year for Greater Lincolnshire over 30 years. This is £720m in total. It would work out to £21.13 a year extra per person in Greater Lincolnshire, based on the 2021 Census.
North East Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson told Grimsby Live: “It’s a really exciting day for North East Lincolnshire and Greater Lincolnshire. We’ve got the deal agreed after a couple of years of really hard work. But what it means is we get increased funding coming into the county of Lincolnshire, but also with mayoral county combined authority, and the mayor, we get a lot more powers devolved as well. Which means we’ve got much more say over our future in Greater Lincolnshire.”
An early definite benefit for North East Lincolnshire is funding for housebuilding on a brownfield site at Alexandra Dock, Grimsby. This is part of £8.36m across Lincolnshire for development on brownfield in year one.
The deal agreed is understood to be almost identical to the one the previous government had drafted after talks with North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, and Lincolnshire councils. That included £28.4m one-off capital investment to begin with, which was split between £20m for place-based economic regeneration and the rest on the new homes on brownfield land. There is also the possibility for more powers to be devolved to the region in future.
“The funding package as a whole is very significant,” said Cllr Jackson. The brownfield element in the first year only represented a small part, but most of that money would go to North and North East Lincolnshire, because it has most of the brownfield sites.
Most of the powers the newly created mayor and combined county authority will have are being transferred from central government. The only power being transferred from councils is strategic transport, covering larger transport projects such as any plans to upgrade the A46. The likes of pothole repairs will remain with councils.
(Image: Donna Clifford / Grimsby Live)
Currently, only around half of the people in England benefit from devolution arrangements. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner wants all of England to benefit from new powers. “From day one we have been focused on rebalancing the power between Westminster and our communities, and that’s why today we’re pushing ahead with an agreement to give greater power to everyone in Greater Lincolnshire.
“This agreement will ensure local people will have a seat at the table as we drive forward our plans to deliver economic growth, and unleash the potential of towns and cities which have been neglected for far too long. Today marks the start of Greater Lincolnshire’s devolution journey, and we are committed to work hand-in-hand with local leaders to making a real difference to people’s lives.”
The government also plans to introduce in Parliament an English Devolution Bill. This will give new powers to mayors and combined authorities – and roll out Local Growth Plans designed to maximise opportunities for growth.
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The devolution announcements today, which affect a large swathe of England, follow Ms Rayner’s letter this summer, inviting councils to share proposals for new devolution agreements over sensible geographies. The government expects more deals to be announced in the months to come.
It has said it believes the benefits of devolution are best achieved through combined institutions and a directly elected leader. Greater Lincolnshire has proceeded, with its plans for a mayoral combined county authority and a mayor.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
