Latest devolution news - March 2016

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Devolution newsletter

21 March 2016 


Dear Colleagues,


Welcome to the 5th edition of the 3SC Devolution Newsletter.


This edition is intended to bring readers up to date with the current position with the 3SC devolution proposals and in particular:


  • remind readers of the key mechanisms for leading work on our devolution proposition,
  • summarise the outcome of a recent meeting of the Strategic Oversight Group and report plans for a full day session for council leaders and LEP chairs on 8 April, and,
  • include links to some core material on the 3SC devolution proposition.


This newsletter is available to everybody who has an interest in our devolution proposals. Please forward it to anybody you think would be interested in it. If you would like to receive further editions of the newsletter you can sign up here if you have not already done so.

 


Contents


The story so far

Creaking infrastructure, unfunded and growing demands on public services and a population that will balloon to 3 million by 2037 are three of the drivers behind the 3SC devolution bid.

 

3SC, a partnership of three county councils, districts, boroughs and partners in Surrey and Sussex, is calling for a devolution deal with government that will improve outcomes, increase growth, enhance productivity and transform public services.

 

The partnership’s initial pitch to government in January got the green light. The meeting with Baroness Williams, Parliamentary under Secretary of State, was described as “extremely positive”.

 

3SC was encouraged to carry out further work prior to making a final submission to government.

 

The devolution proposals, if accepted, will deliver four key outcomes across three counties.

 

  • Improve road, rail and digital networks
  • Increase and improve the range of housing
  • Improve the skills offer, helping to meet business and organisations’ needs
  • Secure a share in the financial proceeds of growth to invest in improved infrastructure

 

Mustering a large partnership creates a significant workload. The devolution programme is being steered by a Strategic Oversight Group (SOG) chaired by the chief executive of Surrey County Council, David McNulty.

 

The SOG provides strategic direction to the programme under the political steer of council leaders. Two reference groups support SOG, with chief executives from all partner authorities represented. Political leadership is exercised through regular meetings of county leaders.

 

The detail around the emerging final bid is being fleshed out in six work streams. These cover key areas of work associated with the bid: double devolution; governance; housing and planning; infrastructure; and skills. Each work stream has a chief executive sponsor and lead officer.

 

A Communication and Engagement Group, which sees county representatives working alongside district and borough communications professionals, has been established to support the work of the SOG and work streams. West Sussex County Council leads this group.

 

The Programme Office, which is run by Surrey County Council, ensures that the overall programme functions efficiently and manages all key documentation.

 

Authority to sign off the final bid to government rests with partner authorities. These will have a final say on whether their council will be part of the final submission.

 

Work is being done to understand and learn from the implications for the Devolution bid following recent decisions made by government in the Budget. 


Strategic Oversight Group

The SOG met on 9 March. It recognised the significant progress that had been made in developing our propositions and the strength in partnership working. The group also reviewed progress on each of the work streams and preparations for future negotiations with government. A meeting has been sought with senior civil servants to test the government appetite for the 3SC proposals which we hope will be shortly after Easter. In the meantime work streams are deepening and refining their proposals. Work on double devolution continues in parallel, with each area pursuing what works best in particular localities.

Leaders’ seminar

The next leaders meeting will take the form of a full day workshop on 8 April. The chairs of the three Local Enterprise Partnerships which cover our area have also been invited to participate in the session. The seminar is designed to provide leaders with an opportunity to take stock of progress and discuss next steps.

Core materials

More detailed information on our devolution proposals is available in the form of:

  • A one page summary – Our Drive to Thrive;
  • A set of frequently asked questions;
  • A standard PowerPoint presentation.