Council Leaders across the Solent region have expressed their shock and disappointment at news the government has dismissed the area’s devolution bid.
The 3 council’s involved in submitting the bid for a Solent Combined Authority in 2016, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, have had no formal notification but found out from Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan.
Mr Morgan was advised the Solent proposals were no longer being considered in a letter from Devolution Minister Jake Berry which said: “the 2016 devolution deal is not on the table”.
Mr Morgan said:
“I was very disappointed to hear the devolution plans were no longer being considered and even more disappointed that the government hadn’t even told the councils. This scrapping of our bid without notification is a kick in the teeth for Portsmouth and means our city missing out on millions in much-needed funding.
“The Solent region has the potential to achieve so much more, but it needs government to finally give us the funding and power we need. The devolution plans were a vehicle for this. If the government is intent on ignoring them, they must step up with an alternative. I’ve been raising questions with ministers to get to the bottom of this and will continue to lobby government to back our city with proper funding.”
Since the revelation, the government has claimed a letter from the Prime Minister to then Portsmouth City Council Leader Cllr Donna Jones was notification the deal was not being considered, however the letter did not clearly state this and nothing was sent to Southampton City Council or the Isle of Wight Council who were joint partners in the bid.
The proposed combined authority would have taken on responsibility for services currently managed by central government and received £900million of new funding over 30 years. This would have allowed 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.
These benefits would have been the starting point for the Solent with further powers and funding expected to be added as a combined authority established itself.
Council Leaders in the area have expressed their disappointment at the news the region will not be gaining new powers and funding, although no comment from the Isle of Wight Council Leader has been included in today’s press release.
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said:
“It is beyond disappointing that the government would dismiss something that so much work has gone into without even the courtesy of notifying the three councils that submitted it. We have heard the reason is because MPs in other parts of Hampshire didn’t support the bid and without a majority the government couldn’t risk upsetting them. Government is prioritising the opinions of those few individuals over the views of more than 2,500 local people who responded to the consultation on the plans and showed clear support.
“Devolution would give a huge boost to Portsmouth and the surrounding area with more financial autonomy and the power to make significant changes to meet our specific economic needs. Previously the government was pushing this as the solution to meet the needs of our area but if they have now dismissed it they need to provide something to take its place and provide the investment we need”.
