Warwickshire given funding powers in Budget

Warwickshire County Council leader Izzi Seccombe said the deal would "drive economic growth"

Warwickshire County Council has been given more powers over its funding in a devolution deal announced in the Budget.

It was one of three county councils to be given more control over their funding announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday.

The Budget also saw £5m to support cultural projects in Coventry.

Warwickshire County Council said the devolution deal was "a significant long-term milestone".

It is expected to come into effect in April 2025.

Although it will not be accompanied by extra funding, it means the local authority will have more control over how it spends money, including a £17.6m funding pot.

The deal will also allow the council to use its own £7.6m adult education budget to create plans to tailor skills and leaning to businesses.

It also gives the council responsibility for the strategic planning and delivery of the £10m UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

However, the council still needs to deliver £16.2m in savings in the next financial year.

The leader of Warwickshire County Council, Izzi Seccombe, said the deal showed it had the government's trust and was "worth additional resources and powers to drive economic growth, jobs and skills".

"The devolution deal is an important step in Warwickshire's journey," she said.

"It provides a strong foundation on which to secure further powers and resources as devolution is embedded across the country."

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The Local Government Association (LGA) said it was disappointed the government had not announced "measures to adequately fund the local services people rely on every day".

"It is unsustainable to expect them to keep doing more for less in the face of unprecedented cost and demand pressures," it said.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said it was no secret that he wanted the council to join the West Midlands Combined Authority, but that news of the devolution deal was good news for Warwickshire and the wider area.

He said: "It [Warwickshire County Council] chose not to [join the WMCA], and the fact it is now going on its own journey is good, because the more places with power, it's changing how governance happens across the UK and that's got to be good for us."

Cultural cash for Coventry

The chancellor also announced £100m of levelling up funding for areas including Coventry to "support cultural projects in these communities".

The government said the money would "support a combination of nationally significant cultural investments".

Coventry was among the "priority places" which had not received any money from previous rounds of levelling up funding, the government added,

Coventry City Council has been approached for its response to the announcement.