For the period from Friday 2 to Friday 23 January 2015 there is a Derby and Derbyshire wide consultation on the proposal to create a Combined Authority.
In brief:
A Combined Authority is a statutory organisation which enables authorities in a recognisable economic area to work together with a view to developing new and more efficient approaches to regeneration and economic development, transport, and housing.
The proposed Derby and Derbyshire Combined Authority will include Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Amber Valley Borough Council, Bolsover District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Erewash Borough Council, High Peak Borough Council, North East District Council and South Derbyshire District Council.
A Combined Authority offers new opportunities for region wide development, more cohesive planning and cooperation with neighbouring combined authorities in Sheffield and Manchester.
The process:
Currently there are economic plans for Derbyshire, created by the Derbyshire Economic Partnership, and Derby, created by the Derby Renaissance Board, and a joint plan for Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham (D2N2) created by the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership.
Derbyshire and Derby City are both transport authorities, Derby City and the district councils are all housing authorities. Everyone involved in these plans and services has been involved in a review of the current situation and in drafting a future scheme. It is necessary to show government that the future scheme will improve coordination, development and economic prosperity.
There are five ambitions in the proposed scheme:
- Supporting our People: Skills – creating a 21st Century Guildhall to improve training and links with employment
- Shaping our Place: Routes to Work – delivering improvements to public transport networks and transport infrastructure
- Shaping our Place: Homes – more affordable homes in the right place to meet local needs and create sustainable communities
- Supporting our Business: securing more and better paid jobs for local people
- Financing the Future: Enabling improvement – innovation and creativity in securing increased investment and flexibility to support growth
The consultation:
All of the information about the proposal is on the Derbyshire County Council website.
