Councillors confident new Government will back devolution for Norfolk

Confidence remains high that more powers and funding will come to Norfolk, after councillors supported devolution talks with the new Government.

County council leader Councillor Kay Mason Billig told today's full council meeting she was seeking a meeting with the new Government, to ensure support for Norfolk's £600 million-plus devolution deal.

Cllr Mason Billig said devolution would bring great benefits to Norfolk and she was encouraged that both the main parties in Parliament supported the idea. She has written to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner about the deal and a meeting with Local Government Minister Jim McMahon is being arranged for September.

Cllr Mason Billig said: "I'm still getting the same encouragement from the new Labour Government as from the previous one, about devolution". She said the Government was signalling it would be "prudent" to delay a decision on governance, until after she had spoken to ministers.
She said: "Let's hope that the new Government show their commitment to Norfolk by confirming a devolution deal and honour the offers made, so that we can have a seat at the table with the regional mayors and bring economic development and prosperity to our area."

Leader of the opposition, Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Brian Watkins, seconded the move to delay a decision, pending discussions with the Government.

Cllr Watkins said most councillors would support some form of devolution and he welcomed the support received from the business, health and higher education sectors across Norfolk.

Councillors backed an amended motion, moved by Cllr Mason Billig and seconded by Cllr Watkins, to delay a decision until after discussions had taken place with the Government.

The current devolution deal would mean:

• Having a council leader who is directly elected by the public, enabling Norfolk's voice to be heard by the Government
• Targeting funding and resources to Norfolk's own priorities, with a £20 million per year investment fund - worth at least £600 million over 30 years
• Unlocking housing and employment sites
• Investing in the skills we need and attracting and retaining key businesses
• Opening the door to more - further powers and funding in future

Background

The story so far:

In December 2022, the council agreed an in-principle £600 million-plus devolution deal with the Government, to bring £20 million of investment per year to Norfolk, plus control of additional powers and funding over infrastructure, skills and housing development.
In December 2023, councillors backed the deal, subject to a final vote to introduce a directly elected leader system from May 2025 - a prerequisite of the devolution agreement with the Government.

The amendment agreed today (23rd July) recognises the previous decisions taken and agrees that, "given the change in Government on 5th July 2024, acknowledges that there will be a delay in discussions with central Government regarding the devolution deal. Council therefore resolves to delay any decision on a change of governance until later in 2024 to ensure that the best deal can be secured for Norfolk."

Benefits of the deal

The Deal for Norfolk includes:

• Control of a new investment fund of £20m per year for 30 years (40% capital and 60% revenue), to drive growth and take forward priorities over the long term.
• Almost £7m capital funding for the building of new homes on brownfield land in 2024/25 helping to ease the viability issues that brownfield projects face, alongside supporting wider interventions aimed at economic development.
• £5.9m of capital funding, received in this Spending Review period, which has supported the further development of the Operations & Maintenance Campus in Great Yarmouth, the Nar Ouse Business Park in King's Lynn, and the East Norwich Regeneration Project.
• New powers to drive the regeneration of the area and to build more affordable homes, including Homes England compulsory purchase powers and the ability to establish Mayoral Development Corporations.
• New powers to shape local skills provision to address challenges, maximise the impact of funding and better meet the needs of the local economy and local people, including the devolution of the core Adult Education Budget (approximately £12m pa) from 2025/26 and development of a Strategic Skills Plan with partners.
• An integrated transport settlement c.£40m starting in 2024/25, which will provide greater control in how these budgets are directed locally to better meet our needs and priorities, and £500,000 in revenue funding over two years to accelerate the review of Transport plans and implement quantifiable carbon reductions.
• A commitment to explore a local partnership with Great British Railways so that the County Council can help to shape and improve local rail services.