Recovery plan part of Buckinghamshire Councils devolution bid
The council want more powers from central government for the area
Buckinghamshire Council are hoping their new recovery plan will help with devolution bid.
The 'Growth and Recovery Plan for Buckinghamshire' was approved by the Council's Cabinet on Tuesday (10/11).
The 35 page document focuses on how Buckinghamshire can recover from the impact of coronavirus, particularly when it comes to business and economic areas.
Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council explained it part of a wider plan for devolution, with the goal of showcasing the opportunities Buckinghamshire can provide for the UK Economy.
He explained:
"As local leaders we're all too aware of the additional potential that could be released from Buckinghamshire's existing £14.8 billion economy. We are uniquely placed due to our location, previous strong track record and our four key 'super strength' sectors - creative and digital, high performance engineering, space technology at Westcott and medical technology.
"What we need from Government now are the tools to unlock that clear potential. We're not looking for straightforward hand-outs, what we really need is firm Government commitment backed up by a robust package of freedoms, flexibilities and investment so we can get on with the job.
"We believe our proposals will firmly align with the Government’s forthcoming Devolution White Paper, which will pave the way for devolution bids across the country. But why wait if we are ready to step up to the plate now?
"As a new unitary council, we are already securing new devolution deals with our own local communities, so we now need to see this commitment replicated by Government."
It has been worked on by the public, private and community sectors across the county who have come together under the umbrella of the new Buckinghamshire Growth Board, one of four established across the south east.
The next step is to have the BGB review the plan before putting it before government.