By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There is deep frustration that Gloucestershire has been “left behind” as the Government did not mention the county in this week’s announcement on further devolution deals for England.
Devolution is the transfer of power away from Whitehall to local leaders such as elected mayors.
Places such as Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester already benefit from these extra powers and are part of strategic authorities which are generally areas where multiple councils work together.
The Government is aiming for universal coverage of England and the idea is for new strategic areas to fill the gaps by covering areas that people recognise and work in.
The Government announced this week that it is in the final stages of agreeing devolution deals across ten areas which would lead to 90 per cent of England having some level of devolution.
However, nothing has been announced for Gloucestershire nor for its neighbouring counties to the north.
Opinion is split over which way Gloucestershire should go with six councils, the Liberal Democrat and Green Party leaders of six of the county’s seven main authorities are strongly in favour of joining the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) which is centred around Bristol.
However, opposition leaders in Reform UK and the Conservatives have called for the county to explore partnerships with neighbouring counties such as Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Herefordshire.
Tewkesbury Borough Council wants all options to be considered including partnerships to the north of the county.
Gloucestershire County Council’s Lib Dem leader Lisa Spivey (South Cerney) is demanding urgent answers from the Government on devolution.
She wants a clear pathway to securing greater powers and investment for the county. Her administration has expressed several times a clear desire to join WECA but they remain without a devolution deal or a clear route to one.
“I am angry and deeply frustrated that Gloucestershire has been left behind,” she said.
“Gloucestershire is ready. We have the ambition, strong partnerships, and economic potential to deliver more homes, better skills, good jobs and the growth this country needs, all the things this government has said it wants to achieve.
“Greater devolved powers would help implement our clear plans for Gloucestershire to build more homes, create jobs, give people the skills businesses need and to grow the local economy and our globally important sectors.”
The government’s commitment to greater devolution of growth funding is welcomed by Shire Hall, she said.
“Gloucestershire businesses and residents deserve their fair share of this investment, and we will want to ensure that areas like ours are not disadvantaged while new strategic authority arrangements are developed.
“Along with other leaders, I will be writing to the minister again inviting him to come here to see for himself the enormous potential Gloucestershire has to offer and demanding that we are not kept in limbo a minute longer.”
But Reform UK welcomed the Government’s decision to leave Gloucestershire off the devolution list for now.
They see it as keeping the county free from the West of England Combined Authority.
“While council leadership scrambles to tie our fortunes to Bristol, this omission is a victory for local democracy, common sense, and the identity of our county,” Reform UK group leader at Shire Hall Vernon Smith (Tewkesbury West) said.
“Gloucestershire is not an overflow housing estate for Bristol, nor do we need another layer of distant, unelected bureaucracy dictating targets from afar.
“Decisions about Gloucestershire must be made by the people who actually live, work, and build their lives here, not by remote technocrats in regional combines.
“The establishment’s handwringing over missing out on a devolution “prize” completely misreads the mood of residents. What council leaders call “limbo,” we call breathing room.
“We do not need WECA to grow our economy, protect our green spaces, or support our local businesses.
“Reform UK Gloucestershire calls on residents, local businesses, and councillors to hold the line. Do not let county leadership drag us back into the queue for a regional merger.
“Gloucestershire has its own strengths, its own economy, and its own future. Let’s keep it that way. Stop WECA. No more backdoor integration. Gloucestershire stays Gloucestershire.”
The Government requires consent of all local authorities to form a strategic authority and they will continue to engage with leaders in Gloucestershire and neighbouring areas to achieve consensus.
A Ministry of Housing and Local Government spokesperson said: “We want to see all areas, including Gloucestershire, get the best possible devolution agreements to benefit their communities.
“This requires agreement among all local authorities, and we’ll continue to engage with the council so devolution is delivered in Gloucestershire as soon as possible.”