Devolution plans 'lack detail', council chief says

Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland has called for 'proper funding' of local councils

Government plans for devolution deals involving neighbouring local authorities have "no detail at all", a Dorset council leader has said.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner wrote to councils last month inviting them to work with the government on plans to give them more power in their local areas.

Leader of Dorset Council Nick Ireland said BCP, Somerset, Wiltshire, Swindon and Dorset councils were in discussions over submitting a bid to central government by the end of September.

Ms Rayner's letter said the government's focus was on "lighting the touch paper of growth across our regions".

In her letter to councils on 16 July, Ms Rayner urged local authorities to "partner with this government to deliver the most ambitious programme of devolution this country has ever seen".

She said the new Labour government would devolve new powers over "transport, skills, housing, planning and employment support".

Mr Ireland, leader of the Lib Dem-led Dorset Council administration, said: "The hope is we'll get more money, or at least the same money we'll be able to spend in different ways, potentially - otherwise, what's the point?"

He said he had "absolutely no idea" how much extra funding the region would potentially get but that local government should be "properly funded".

"It's unlikely to address adult social care or children's services, for example which are two huge drains on our budget," he said.

"The deal is literally a vacuum - there is no detail in the letter."

'Making lives better'

Tom Hayes, recently-elected Labour Bournemouth East MP and a member of the all-party South West Parliamentary group, said any devolution plans should be about "making people's lives better".

"I'd be looking at any devolution, not only for the powers it can give but the funding it can give to solve our problems," he continued.

He said he was "not committed" to the idea of a mayor for the region.

Simon Hoare, Conservative North Dorset MP and a former local government minister, said there needed to be "synergy" between the authorities involved.

“I’m always keen on collaboration and close working between geographical neighbours," he added.

"There’s no point going down this route if three four or five partners are all going to be pulling in different directions."