GUEST COLUMN: What will devolution mean for Mansfield and Ashfield? by Mansfield 2020's Richard Fuller

This devolution refers to the transfer of power from central government in London to combined authorities locally.

The combined authority in this area will be will be composed of 19 local authorities in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire together with business leaders from D2N2 (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire) Local enterprise partnership and a publicly elected Mayor.

The 19 councils would continue to exist and represent their area as they had done before.

The two county councils, 15 districts and two cities would continue to exist as separate councils. The combined authority will bring together the leader of each council with the new Mayor and business representatives as one group.

There are five priorities for the area:

1. Jobs and skills- At least £900m in an investment fund over 30 years that is locally controlled and spent, the creation of 55,000 new private sector jobs, control over £150m annual adult skills budgets. Control of grants to deliver 110,000 more apprenticeships.

2. Housing - 77,000 extra homes, £200m housing investment fund to support new housing and affordable homes.

3. Transport - £137m a year in transport funding. Control of the regulation of bus services. Single Oyster-style card ticketing Midland Mainline electrification – Nottingham and Derby in 90 minutes to London. A major HS2 station and engineering depot and regeneration of the surrounding areas.

4. Maximising national and international investment -Responsibility for support to help businesses grow and create more jobs.

5. A value for money public sector - Control over government programmes to help people back into meaningful employment. Responsibility for support to help businesses grow and create more jobs.

Mansfield 2020 – which has a membership of more than 170 businesses from across Ashfield and Mansfield – is imploring the Chancellor to agree the North Midlands Devolution deal. Chairman, Russell Jones has written to George Osborne, saying: “The economic levers will help us drive growth and jobs. Local business needs will be the focus, rather than national targets and controlled decision making will speed up all processes and help drive growth.”