Opposition to a potential regional devolution deal
North Northamptonshire Council is considering a partnership where it will work more closely with other authorities
Concerns have been raised over a potential partnership which could see Northamptonshire work more closely with other authorities in the region and ultimately gain more power from central government.
A report that went before North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) on Thursday (August 29) asked members to vote on recommendations that would see it seek approval to join the South Midlands Authorities’ Joint Committee- a group made up of councils in Bedfordshire (Bedford, Central Beds, Luton), Milton Keynes and the West Northants unitary authority.
However, worries have been raised about where North Northamptonshire fits in with the rest of the group and how it can be assured that the partnership is mutually beneficial for towns and cities at the very north of the authority as well as those at the southern end of Milton Keynes and Luton.
Following the recent General Election, the new Government has signalled its intentions to devolve more powers and funding to the local level. It has asked for councils not already in a devolved deal to begin discussions with neighbours and submit their interests in devolution by the end of September.
A combined authority is a type of local government institution set up to allow two or more local authorities to work together to pool responsibility and decision making. Examples include Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. They are typically chaired by an elected leader or Mayor.
The preferred option for the authorities at this stage is a joint committee which provides the first steps to seeking additional powers from government.
Leader of NNC Jason Smithers explained: “The creation of a combined authority means that members can be more ambitious in their joint working and can take advantage of powers and resources devolved to them from the government.
“It’s important to stress that the submission of the initial expression of interest will not commit the council to specific geography, but it will provide a signal of intent to pursue devolution proposals and work more closely with the government and other local authorities.
“This is an exciting moment in this council as we continue to thrive and grow as an organisation. The outcomes from this work could have a long and lasting impact on our residents and businesses.”
Cllr Matt Keane, leader of the opposition, commented: “North Northamptonshire is a bit of a funny place, geographically it’s in the middle of the country and administratively it’s part of the East Midlands.
“However, it’s difficult for us to exercise our weight here while competing with the already established East Midlands Authority- we’d be competing with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. We look to the east we have the established Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Combined Authority.
“When looking at neighbours to work with a lot of our neighbours are already ahead of the game on this and it’s difficult to see where North Northants sits. Meaningful devolution has to be the outcome if we are going to make this work.
“We need to make sure we’re a leading voice on this. We need to make sure we are a strong player and we work together.”
Fellow Labour Cllr Zoe McGhee echoed similar concerns that North Northants could be “left behind” due to the large size of the working group.
Independent Cllr Jim Hakewill said he felt “let down” and that members had been ‘left in the dark’ by the leader on the discussions between the council and the other South Midlands authorities. He demanded more scrutiny on proposals from councillors so they could fully understand the implications.
Cllr Smithers assured the chamber: “I will certainly make sure that North Northamptonshire Council is heard loud and clear at that table.
“There’s nothing to be hidden here, there’s nothing to be afraid of. This is just about us being at that table… to ensure that we get the absolute best deal for our residents here in North Northamptonshire.”
The recommendations were passed by NNC, giving the leader authorisation to submit an expression of interest to the Government and approving, in principle, the South Midlands Authorities Joint Committee.
Cllr Smithers also committed to bringing a report to the council in the future to ultimately approve its membership and terms in the Joint Committee and ensure the process remains “transparent”.