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Proposed East Midlands ‘super authority’ could see mayor elected in two years time

The election for a new regional mayor could be held in two years, it has been revealed, as the first stages of  a devolution shake up are under way.

The Government has welcomed the initial bid for an East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority, which if successful could see the election of a mayor in May 2024.

Leaders from Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council teamed up with counterparts in Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council to draft the bid for the so-called ‘super authority’, which asks for maximum devolution powers for the region.

Neil O’Brien MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said he was ‘very pleased’ that the authorities were seeking a mayoral deal, describing the plans as ‘exciting’ and welcoming the ‘ambitious devolution deal’.

Leader of Derbyshire County Council Councillor Barry Lewis said: “This is a huge opportunity to level up county areas like Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire that have been underfunded historically, and to bring powers from Whitehall closer to communities.

“The East Midlands has a big opportunity here to put itself on an equal footing to areas like the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, and to bring investment to our counties and cities.”

While the super authority bid asked for an elected mayor to have the power to create a precept – an additional charge on a Council Tax bill – Coun Lewis denied claims that there would be an additional cost to taxpayers, claiming the request was just a process of negotiation with Government. 

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