A priority pledge within the Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Deal Proposal is that investment is made to boost economies and jobs, whilst protecting the environment. Novartis Ings (pictured above) in North East Lincolnshire is an ideal example of how that can work with land along the South Humber bank developed for nature that mitigates the impact of development nearby.
The three upper tier councils of Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council secured a £750million devolution deal in principle with government on 22 November 2023.
This means is that, if the deal is agreed, the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Combined County Authority, (MCCA), would be handed control of approximately £24 million per year of investment funding for the next 30 years, to drive growth and take forward the region’s priorities for the whole area over the long term.
The Greater Lincolnshire MCCA would then be able to allocate the Investment Fund to specific place-based projects to support economic regeneration in Greater Lincolnshire, subject to a business case process. This would be extra money, with the existing local authorities running as they do now with their own separate budgets, to develop and grow services for their residents.
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is a time of considerable opportunity for Greater Lincolnshire and this proposal is designed to unlock significant long-term funding and give local leaders greater freedom to decide how best to meet local needs and create new opportunities for residents and those who come to Greater Lincolnshire for work or leisure.
“Under this proposal the Greater Lincolnshire MCCA would be given the powers, funding and flexibilities required to accelerate progress to address long term challenges and opportunities across Greater Lincolnshire.”
Professor Neal Juster is Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, (GGLEP) and welcomes the Proposal both for Greater Lincolnshire and the Humber.
He said: “Devolution will bring many opportunities for our area, not least through this additional pot of money which we can use to support economic regeneration across Greater Lincolnshire.
“Many of our priority sectors and game-changing projects rely on significant investments and the right skills if they are to be fully realised – investment in new technologies for agrifood, for example, or investment in extra capacity for our world-leading green energy cluster on the Humber.
“If approved, our devolution deal will give us the freedom to allocate these funds where we believe they will be most effective – and that can only be good for the economic future of Greater Lincolnshire.”
If the deal is agreed, the Combined County Authority would direct long-term investment in areas such as highways, transport, and local communities. There would also be a focus on green growth, delivering food and energy security to the UK and putting Greater Lincolnshire at the forefront of renewable and clean energy technologies and production – to be a world-leading provider of food, seafood and associated technological innovation.
The deal Proposal also pledges improvements in business productivity, increased employment opportunities and improved career prospects, securing the nation’s supply chains and maximising the strategic advantages of our ports. (The Port of Grimsby pictured above is home to Orsted where there is opportunity for ‘green’ jobs. The Proposal pledges to create more opportunity for local people to get these kind of jobs. Picture courtesy of Orsted).
Let’s take a look at why this money is needed across Greater Lincolnshire, and what the money could be spent on.
- Public spending per head is below average when compared against the UK. The economy has an over-reliance on seasonal jobs, whether that is in tourism or agriculture. A longer term funding package for things like transport, infrastructure and skills will help create the environment that our businesses need to grow.
- The area has carbon-rich heavy industry which is critical to the UK, but sees challenges in terms of the green agenda. If approved, the Investment Fund will support work to decarbonise our industrial areas and deliver more jobs in “green” industries, like carbon capture and storage and energy distribution.
- Education attainment lags behind our neighbours and the rest of the UK with only 29% of our working age residents having a level 4 qualification or above. This is 32% lower than nationally. If approved, the Investment Fund will help support adult education and invest in courses that deliver the skills that our local businesses need to innovate and expand.
- Greater Lincolnshire suffers from a lack of funding in transport infrastructure which holds back the local economy. Costs are often higher and greater investment is required. If approved, the Investment Fund will support transport improvements to help link areas of the county for trade and social movement.
- Greater Lincolnshire also has an aging population which has increased 30% faster than the rest of the UK since 2020. There is a need to both attract and retain a younger workforce and residents to enable local economies to thrive. If approved, the Investment Fund, along with support from other agencies, will help back the building of high quality, sustainable and affordable housing across Greater Lincolnshire.
Cllr Jackson added: “Whilst much of Greater Lincolnshire has benefitted from short-term funding pots, these are not enough to achieve the strategic level of change that Greater Lincolnshire needs to see.
“Our ambitions for devolution seek to deliver the leadership required to address unique long-term challenges across Greater Lincolnshire and maximise the area’s opportunities to deliver future prosperity.
“By delivering on this proposal we will reflect the identities of and bring benefits for the residents and communities of Greater Lincolnshire and make the case for further devolution of powers and subsequent devolution deals to keep our area at the forefront of levelling up.”
To find out more about the proposals, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/devolution, and to have your say, visit www.letstalk.lincolnshire.gov.uk/devolution- external site
Article and image from NELC.
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