A devolution deal offering to boost the West of England economy with over £1 billion worth of investment has been announced by Chancellor, George Osborne, in today’s budget speech. But the idea has not been met with enthusiasm by everyone, including the area’s Conservative MP. A week after B&NES rejected the prospect of having an Elected Mayor, the devolution deal, if agreed, will see the introduction of a Metro Mayor, and there are concerns that B&NES will have a fight on its hands to receive its fair share of the money.

Leaders of the West of England councils, the Mayor of Bristol and the Government have negotiated the proposed agreement seeking to devolve significant powers, funding and responsibilities to the region. Negotiations have also been supported by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

This agreement will now go to all four councils, including B&NES, for consideration, who will then make a decision on how to proceed. The move would represent a major change, bringing decisions on transport, investment, funding, skills training, business support, housing and strategic planning to the West of England and away from central government.

Councillor Tim Warren, Chairman of the West of England Strategic Leaders Board and Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council said: “I’m pleased that the Chancellor has recognised that there is a case in the West of England for a devolution deal to build on the area’s very successful local economy. The deal would bring over £1bn of investment, which would allow the region to bring forward some important infrastructure projects.”

Councillor Dine Romero (Southdown, Lib Dem), Leader of the B&NES Liberal Democrat Council Group, commented: “As Liberal Democrats, we support the principle of decisions being taken as closely as possible to the people they affect. We would welcome a genuine, long-term, devolution deal, which would bring substantive new powers and funding to the area. However, the Government’s insistence on imposing an unwanted and unnecessary directly Elected Mayor makes a mockery of its devolution rhetoric.”

“The West of England is the most productive city region outside of London with a long and extremely successful track record of partnership working between the four unitary authorities. A Mayoral system would be no more effective and no more accountable; it would only add another layer of cost and politics.”

“Local people have already rejected a directly Elected Mayor for B&NES. Unfortunately, they will not be given the opportunity to vote on this new sub-regional Mayor. This deal has been negotiated behind closed doors by the Conservative Government, Conservative Council Leaders and George Ferguson. Local people have no say in the matter. This could spell the beginning of the end of B&NES Council and a return to Avon.”

Local MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg strongly opposes the proposals. “I believe that this is highly disadvantageous to my constituents and potentially destructive to local government. Inevitably, a Metro Mayor will be more dependent on votes in Bristol than in B&NES, and would subjugate our interests to theirs.

“In the draft agreement I have seen, the Metro Mayor would have powers on transport and ‘a statutory spatial development strategy which will act as a framework for managing planning across the West of England region’. This is a particular risk to B&NES, as so much of it is green belt as the setting for a World Heritage Site. Somerset’s green fields could be sacrificed as easier to develop than Bristol’s disused industrial land. As with Avon, the money will be raised in Somerset to be spent in Bristol.

“Currently the four unitary authorities cooperate with each other effectively with each representing the democratic mandate it has been given. This allows for transport projects to be considered and planning to be discussed, but does not allow the rural interest to be placed beneath the urban one. This arrangement could easily continue and has strong local support.

“The result of the Mayor for B&NES referendum last week shows no appetite for a change from which there are no particular benefits.”

Chancellor George Osborne said earlier today: “When I delivered my Budget, I said that believing in our United Kingdom is not the same as believing that every decision should be taken in London. That is why this Government is overseeing the most radical transfer of power to our different nations, great cities and counties in modern British history.

“Today for the first time we have reached agreement for the West of England authorities to all be part of our devolution revolution.”