Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council have agreed to a £1.14 billion devolution deal by the government.

The deal would create the first ever Combined County Authority and would see an extra £38 million a year coming to the East Midlands from 2024, addressing years of historically low investment in our area.

It would mean funding and powers move from a national level to a regional level to help the 2.2 million people who live here.

Our vision is for the people who live and work here to be better connected, more competitive, and more prosperous within an inclusive Combined County Authority area at the heart of the country.  

Our shared objectives are about:

• Boosting productivity, pay, jobs and living standards
• Spreading opportunities and improving public services
• Restoring a sense of community, local pride and belonging
• Empowering local leaders and communities

The creation of an East Midlands County Combined Authority would deliver this vision through economic growth, productivity, and personal wellbeing for the 2.2 million people who live and work here. 

Our four priority areas to help us deliver this vision are: 

1. Our homes – we would work with local authorities, landowners, developers and the full range of housing providers to create affordable, good quality housing options and to retrofit existing homes to be more environmentally sustainable.

2. Our skills – we would work collaboratively with employers, skill providers and local authorities to ensure our citizens have the opportunity to develop key skills and access opportunities to work well and build fulfilling careers. This would also help the creation of a strong and sustainable local economy.

3. Our transport infrastructure – we would work with transport providers inside and outside the Combined County Authority area to develop our collective infrastructure and create the best possible public transport system for our citizens, reflecting the strengths already within Constituent Councils to set our aspirations.

4. Our net zero ambition – we would work across the area to lead the way in moving from fossil to fusion and play our part in achieving our national ambition to achieve net zero by 2050. Our ambition is that the Combined County Authority area will be a leader in pioneering new forms of clean energy generation and will act as an exemplar for climate change adaption.

“We want to make the most of every penny so this can be used to make a real difference to people’s lives.

As Leaders, we have all fought for a fairer share for our cities and counties, and a bigger voice for our area, to give us the clout and the influence we deserve, and to help us live up to our full potential. This deal would help make that a reality.

More and better jobs through greater investment in our area, economic growth, better transport, housing, skills training, and an enhanced greener environment, as we move towards being carbon neutral, are what we all want to see. We will work together for the common good of the East Midlands.

We haven’t always had the same level of funding or influence as other areas, which has held us back. This is a golden opportunity to change that and put the power to do so in our own hands.

There is a lot still to be agreed, and this is the beginning of the journey, not the end. We’re determined to build on this deal over time, as other areas have done.”