Agenda item

The Chief Executive submitted a report to update Members on recent changes impacting on Chesterfield Borough Council pursuing full membership of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority in line with the Council’s resolved position of April and September 2016. The report made recommendations to Council to alter its resolved position in light of those recent changes.

Since September 2016 officers had continued to work to implement the Council’s resolved position to pursue full membership of SCR Combined Authority, including supporting the Combined Authority in defending the consultation process in the courts as a result of a Judicial Review brought by Derbyshire County Council. Following the outcome of that review, Chesterfield had worked with the Combined Authority to support its plans for a further public consultation due to have commenced in early July 2017. That consultation would have once again proposed a Mayoral Combined Authority including Chesterfield as a full member, given the resolutions made by the Council in 2016 and in light of the benefits that would flow into Chesterfield and Derbyshire from that full membership status.

Three recent changes had occurred that had led to a review of the Council’s position.  Firstly, the outcome of the General Election combined with the amount of legislation required for Brexit had led to a significant risk that priority would not be given for the parliamentary time and government support necessary to establish a Mayoral Combined Authority with Chesterfield as a full member.

Secondly, following the change of administration at Derbyshire County Council, an early priority had been set to prevent Chesterfield Borough Council becoming a full member of the SCR Combined Authority, including a proposed ‘referendum’ asking Chesterfield residents a yes or no question. This would have led to significant public money being spent duplicating a question that would have been asked by the SCR Combined Authority in its statutory consultation just two weeks later.

Finally, Bassetlaw District Council, which had also been seeking full membership of the SCR Combined Authority, had decided not to pursue this given the lack of priority that it considered central government would give to devolution.

Whilst the strong economic and strategic cases for full membership were largely unchanged from those informing the council decisions in 2016, the recent changes had led to a substantial risk that the outcome of pursuing full membership would not be as intended. This had resulted in the Leader making a public statement setting out the intention for the Council to cease from pursuing full membership of the SCR Combined Authority, subject to a decision by Council.

If Chesterfield Borough Council did not become a full member of the SCR Combined Authority, it would not have access to the full benefits of the devolution deal agreed with government in October 2015. However, if it continued as an active non-constituent member of the SCR Combined Authority, it would be able to maximise any funding opportunities available to non-constituent members, building on the strong track record to date of bringing investment into this part of Derbyshire.

Consideration would also be given to maximising opportunities arising through the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, although it was noted that Chesterfield was not part of the decision making processes relating to the allocation of funding through that partnership. Discussions would also continue with Derbyshire County Council to establish whether it was able to support any further mitigation measures.

The council would also continue to work with local stakeholders to explain the change of position and respond to any emerging concerns or issues, in order to maintain momentum in delivery of current growth plans.

RESOLVED –

1.     That Council support continuing active non-constituent membership of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, and not, at this time, full constituent membership, for Chesterfield Borough Council.

2.     That Council note the potential impacts on the communities of Chesterfield and Derbyshire and support the work underway to mitigate those impacts.