The public are being asked for their views on plans to create a Solent Combined Authority as part of a consultation launching today (Friday).
Portsmouth City Council yesterday approved draft plans for the proposals, this follows similar decisions from Southampton City Council’s executive on Wednesday and the Isle of Wight Council’s executive last week. The 3 now want to know public opinion on the idea before making a formal application to government.
The Solent Combined Authority would take on responsibility for services currently managed by central government. This will allow decisions to be made locally rather than in Westminster; with a focus on driving economic growth, improving infrastructure and transport links and delivering homes in the region.
The combined authority would not replace any of the councils involved nor take over any of their existing powers; each of them would be an equal member and represented on its board which could be led by a directly elected mayor.
Cllr Donna Jones, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said:
“The Solent Combined Authority would secure £30m a year for us to spend on improving local roads, public areas, housing and job creation benefiting residents of Portsmouth Southampton and the Isle of Wight. This is a really positive and exciting step forward for residents and businesses in South Hampshire and can give them better opportunities and outcomes for years to come. After months of hard work we finally have something we can show to the public and I’m keen we get the opinions of as many people as possible from across our area.”
Leader of Southampton City Council, Councillor Simon Letts said:
“This is a positive move forward for a Solent Combined Authority and following the decisions from the three respective authorities we can now move into the consultation phase. This deal will enable us to be in control of our own destiny and will enable us to secure new powers and funding from government. This in turn will lead to better jobs, better homes and better prospects for our residents across the region in years to come. This represents a fantastic opportunity for the region and I’d encourage everyone who lives or works in the three council areas to get involved in the consultation and have their say.”
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Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, said:
“We’ve been talking of the possibility of devolution for a while now, but I appreciate that for many people, what that might mean is still unclear. Basically, the process of devolution will enable the Solent area to receive significant funding and extra powers from government to make decisions about local issues at a local level, which the Island would be a key partner in. Decisions previously taken in Westminster will now be taken locally by representatives, including those from the Island, who appreciate the nuances of our localities and can make decisions that will really make a difference to local people. The Island will take a key role in influencing and shaping the decisions taken at a regional level and which affect the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight Council will continue to provide services for the Island as it does now.
“When we met with the former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark MP, in May, he recommended that devolution must be seriously considered as a vehicle for the Island to drive economic growth and to sustain the Island’s future prosperity. This will come from working collaboratively with other authorities, through investment in economic development and regeneration, and in the pooling of business rates across the area; which in time will be 100 per cent retained locally to generate further local funding for local services. I am, therefore, pleased that the Island will remain at the table in devolution discussions so that we can maintain a powerful position as talks progress and a deal is drawn up, and that our community now has the chance to learn more about the process and the benefits it can bring. More importantly by getting involved in the consultation, their views can help us to shape the final arrangements and including whether we choose to proceed.”
It is expected that government would give a Solent Combined Authority control of approximately £30m of additional funding per year for the next 30 years to improve the infrastructure in South Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This will allow decisions to be made locally rather than in Westminster. The deal would also enable all of the business rates generated in the area to be retained locally, meaning the area it would have better control of its financial future.
A combined authority would have responsibility for working with partners to increase business productivity, creating better jobs and more jobs, and aligning adult education and training to local business needs. Bringing these responsibilities together in the Solent area will create more certainty for businesses investment, simplify and strengthen support for business growth and innovation as well as focusing training in the skills local businesses need. As a result, more people would get jobs, businesses would prosper, and the whole of South Hampshire & the Isle of Wight would become better off.
It would control a dedicated transport budget, franchised bus services and the network of strategic local authority-maintained roads.
It is also anticipated that once the combined authority is in place it would be able to demonstrate its successes and negotiate with government to agree further powers and opportunities to be devolved, potentially in areas such as health and criminal justice, as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has done.
For more information or to take part in the consultation visit www.solentdeal.co.uk.
The consultation will run until 18th September and Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton councils will be making hard copies of the consultation available in various locations, details of these will be publicised as soon as they are available.
