Local Government Minister, Jim McMahon MP, visited Chelmsford this week. He met with council leaders and chief executives from the three upper tier councils in Greater Essex. The group discussed devolution, with the Minister praising leaders in the county. He also reinforced his commitment to giving the area millions of pounds as part of the Government's devolution plans.
Along with Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock Councils, we are part of the Government's priority programme for devolution. Devolution means we will have greater power and control over local funding and decisions, outside of Whitehall. Being part of the programme means we will be able to realise the benefits of devolution for residents and businesses much more quickly. This includes in areas we know are important to people, such as housing, skills, infrastructure and highways.
We’ve already started to take great strides towards realising those benefits, with the launch of the Essex Year of Opportunity. Building on the success of our previous ‘Essex Year of…’ programmes, the Minister got to hear about this new 1.3 million programme during his visit. Essex Year of Opportunity will remove barriers to people fulfilling their potential and broaden their horizons. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to encouraging lifelong learning and skills development. These will contribute to the growth of the Essex economy and lead to a brighter future for all.
Following the discussion, the Minister chaired the Leaders’ Council with colleagues from around the country.
The Government is currently running a consultation on Greater Essex Devolution. This is the chance for you to have a say on the proposal to form a Mayoral Combined County Authority. This would cover the local government areas of Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council.
Read more about devolution in Greater Essex and take part in the consultation.
The consultation ends on Sunday 13 April.
