Have Your Say on a New Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Combined Authority Council

Leaders have proposed the biggest change to local government in a generation with the creation of a Combined Authority for Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire County and the seven Borough and District councils. A public consultation is currently underway to gauge local opinion – let us know you’re views before the closing date on 6^th February.

Leaders of Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and the seven local Borough and District councils, have proposed the creation of a unified governance structure in the form of a Combined Authority (CA).The new Authority would make strategic decisions on major issues vital to the economic prosperity of the City and County as a whole, including regeneration, economic development, transport, infrastructure and more. Additional powers devolved from central Government could also be granted to the new organisation.

There are clear plans for growth in the ‘N2’ area and key findings from the N2 Governance Review reveal that a Combined Authority has the potential to strengthen the efficiency of decision making, transparency and accountability. Out of the four possible governance options considered in the review, establishing a CA was believed to be the best way to deliver sustained economic and social benefits.

Combined Authorities have already been successfully established in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield City Regions, West Yorkshire and the North East. Although a CA would effectively be a new body, it wouldn’t replace the existing authorities and any costs would be met within existing budgets.

For more information and to have your say before the proposals are submitted to the Government for consideration next month, click here and complete a short survey before 6^th February.