Futures Forum: Devon County Council and devolution: "It seems Councillor Hart will proceed no further without much more assurance about what’s in it for Devon."
Futures Forum: "Saving devolution from itself" >>> "How do we turn the devolution agenda into an opportunity to develop a real system of regional democracy?"
Futures Forum: Devolution and the drawbacks of 'back room' deals
Futures Forum: Devolution: "The money being passed out to the (unaccountable) local enterprise partnerships far exceeds the supplementary investment grants going to the consortia of councils."
Here's an overview of the stories covered the last month by the East Devon Watch blog:
HOTSW LEP:
Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership
Strategic Economic Plan 2014-2030
The exceptional quality of our environment will provide vital lifeblood to our tourism and agricultural sectors and attract new digital and technology companies to ‘Silicon’ South West. With the advent of Hinkley Point C, we will also be able to create a truly momentous shift in our approach, capitalising on construction, supply chain and skills opportunities.
Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership - Strategic Economic Plan
See also:
HINKELY C:
17 June 2016
And still we have seen no Plan B from our national government or our LEP, for which it is their main flagship (aka vested interest) project.
French firm involved in Hinkley Point C unveils restructure plan
15 June
Areva, a 10% equity participant in the Somerset scheme, reveals plans to split into three to stem losses and isolate Finnish project
See also:
Elected mayors could be as remote from the public as Whitehall
DEVOLUTION: THE ULTIMATE POWERS OF A UNITARY MAYOR
12 JUNE 2016
Given that Hinkley C is the primary focus of our devolution deal, it would be almost certain that a Somerset-centric Mayor would be elected.
“Where they exist, the elected mayor will chair the combined authority, and will appoint the combined authority’s ‘members’ (the leaders of the participating local councils) to portfolios in their ‘cabinet’. The members will be able to overrule the mayor by a two-thirds majority on certain matters, such as the budget and mayoral strategies. On other matters, such as spatial plans, unanimity will be required.” http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2016-0122/CDP-2016-0122
Spatial plans = housing, commercial and industrial development in the whole of Devon and Somerset in the hands of one person unless every other cabinet member disagrees.
Thus, the Mayor only needs to have a close understanding with one person within the Cabinet to make the whole of the rest of the Cabinet impotent on decisions about development – and, on other matters, the Mayor only has to carry one-third plus one with him or her to overrule the remaining two- thirds minus one.
Modern democracy!
Areva, a 10% equity participant in the Somerset scheme, reveals plans to split into three to stem losses and isolate Finnish project
See also:
No justification for Hinkley Point C waste secrecy | Letters | UK news | The Guardian
French Union Opposes Hinkley Point C Nuclear Project - Power Engineering
PROCESS:
French Union Opposes Hinkley Point C Nuclear Project - Power Engineering
PROCESS:
Elected mayors could be as remote from the public as Whitehall
15 June 2016
Most areas in England will soon have a directly elected mayor, but without proper scrutiny mayors alone won’t solve the local accountability problem
Most areas in England will soon have a directly elected mayor, but without proper scrutiny mayors alone won’t solve the local accountability problem
DEVOLUTION: THE ULTIMATE POWERS OF A UNITARY MAYOR
12 JUNE 2016
Given that Hinkley C is the primary focus of our devolution deal, it would be almost certain that a Somerset-centric Mayor would be elected.
“Where they exist, the elected mayor will chair the combined authority, and will appoint the combined authority’s ‘members’ (the leaders of the participating local councils) to portfolios in their ‘cabinet’. The members will be able to overrule the mayor by a two-thirds majority on certain matters, such as the budget and mayoral strategies. On other matters, such as spatial plans, unanimity will be required.” http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2016-0122/CDP-2016-0122
Spatial plans = housing, commercial and industrial development in the whole of Devon and Somerset in the hands of one person unless every other cabinet member disagrees.
Thus, the Mayor only needs to have a close understanding with one person within the Cabinet to make the whole of the rest of the Cabinet impotent on decisions about development – and, on other matters, the Mayor only has to carry one-third plus one with him or her to overrule the remaining two- thirds minus one.
Modern democracy!
Unitary status in Dorset might affect devolution deals:
West and South Dorset Green Party | Changes to Dorset’s Democracy and Council Structure
Meanwhile, from around the regions:
Cheshire devolution deal stumbles | East Devon Watch
Scottish cities set out devolution proposals | Public Finance
Warrington doesn’t like the idea of devolution either | East Devon Watch
Council says no to £1 billion metro mayor and devolution deal | Bristol Post
North East mayoral hopeful Jeremy Middleton quits the Conservative Party - Chronicle Live
Doubts over Greater Lincolnshire devolution propositions | Grimsby Telegraph
There's not going to be enough money for the deal anyway:
Another devolution difficulty … Part 1 | East Devon Watch
Business rates inquiry - UK Parliament
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West and South Dorset Green Party | Changes to Dorset’s Democracy and Council Structure
Meanwhile, from around the regions:
Cheshire devolution deal stumbles | East Devon Watch
Scottish cities set out devolution proposals | Public Finance
Warrington doesn’t like the idea of devolution either | East Devon Watch
Council says no to £1 billion metro mayor and devolution deal | Bristol Post
North East mayoral hopeful Jeremy Middleton quits the Conservative Party - Chronicle Live
Doubts over Greater Lincolnshire devolution propositions | Grimsby Telegraph
There's not going to be enough money for the deal anyway:
Another devolution difficulty … Part 1 | East Devon Watch
Business rates inquiry - UK Parliament
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