Column by Councillor Matthew Hicks, Leader of Suffolk County Council.
In August last year, the Government invited county councils across the country to step forward if they were ambitious enough to see a future where more decisions about important local priorities were made, not in Whitehall, but by local people who know what is needed.
Here in Suffolk, we answered that call. With the backing of the administration and the conservative group here at Suffolk County Council, and partners across Suffolk – including district and borough councils, our MPs, the Police and Crime Commissioner, and health, education and business leaders – we raised our hand and, through a determined and attractive proposal, invited the Government to turn its attention to our great county. Many other areas came forward alongside us. Few were successful.
We were delighted when the Government heard our calls and named Suffolk as one of only nine areas in the country where they were interested in actively negotiating a county devolution deal. I was proud that our ambition was realised and respected by Government officials and Ministers.
There followed months of negotiations and meetings where we made the case for Suffolk to get the deal it deserves. We fought for the greatest possible devolution of the Government’s immense spending powers and for control of policy areas on which we could deliver significant improvements for our residents.
Importantly, we fought for all this without the need for additional bureaucracy that would cost money we do not have to spare and most certainly is not needed to turn our ambitions into reality.
Like all negotiations, there has been plenty of back and forth to secure the very best deal we could. With local backing, we stuck to our principles of maximising benefit but in a way that works for us. We are in this to deliver more investment in Suffolk and see greater decision-making powers in Suffolk.
If I could now fast forward to Thursday 17 November and the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement where I feel some misunderstanding needs ironing out.
The Government had informed us that the Chancellor would announce - among the many measures designed to steady the UK economy - that a devolution deal had been reached with Suffolk. This was a world stage on which Suffolk was a key player. A county of ambitious change.
I am frustrated that the inaccurate words used overshadowed our huge achievement. As I watched the statement, the Chancellor proudly announced that Suffolk is to get a directly-elected “Mayor”.
For a moment I was dumbstruck. This was not what we had agreed. Nor would I personally ever agree to an additional needless and costly layer of bureaucracy. If that was the deal being offered to Suffolk, I would be the first to reject it.
Suffolk’s devolution deal requires no such additional layer of bureaucracy, nor the public-funding associated with it. There would be no separate Mayoral authority, offices, staffing or taxing powers.
That is because we are seeking to have powers and funding devolved to Suffolk County Council – under the control of a directly-elected leader and cabinet – scrutinised by councillors and ultimately accountable to the people of Suffolk. It is exactly the model we have now but with one change – whoever has the privilege of being the leader would be directly elected by the people of Suffolk.
In fairness to Jeremy Hunt, this is a devolution deal with similarities to the Government’s existing Mayor-making agenda, but in reality it is hugely different. It’s devolution 2.0!
This historic deal we are pursuing will be the first of its kind in the country. No previous deals have been like it, but I’m sure many will follow. If agreed, this would deliver decades of significant additional investment into local priorities that will improve the lives and outcomes of Suffolk’s residents. It also places Suffolk front and centre for Government.
It will secure greater decision-making powers around transport, infrastructure and skills and give us the powers we need to help us achieve our net zero ambitions and create the Greenest County.
Devolution is a journey, not a one-off event. This deal for Suffolk is the first step in a process of further devolution and more deals - enabling us to deepen our self-determination arrangements over time and influence Government policy.
I accept that the full details of the deal are not yet in the public domain, and that therefore it is difficult to weigh up the benefits of what is on the table for us to take for Suffolk.
We have now agreed with Government that this position should change later this week and I look forward to sharing this important information with residents.
This is a ‘minded to’ decision and will be followed by a full public consultation where everyone will get their say.
I’d like to thank officers and partners across our districts, in particular, who have used their knowledge and expertise to secure for Suffolk this huge local opportunity to determine our future.
This is too big an opportunity to walk away. We must stay at the table and let Suffolk residents have their say on what is a once in several generations opportunity to secure over half a billion pounds of new investment in this great county.
