The North East Combined Authority has submitted to government its 'statement of devolution', outlining proposals to achieve a devolution deal for the North East.
Read VONNE's briefing on devolution for the background
The proposals draw on responses to the consultation exercise conducted earlier this year, explained in the accompanying letter.
It includes some encouraging statements about devolving power beyond the North East Combined Authority down to local communities:
We don’t see devolution as just being about drawing down powers and responsibilities from central Government to the North East Combined Authority. We also want to devolve to our local communities. This is particularly important in relation to regulation, but it also has a bearing on our approach to public service reform, which is about bottom-up community empowerment and resilience building as much as it is about system reconfiguration.
The VCSE has a strong track record in helping people into work and working with hard to reach communities. These are recognised in a further statement:
We are particularly committed to addressing the long-standing barriers to work and to raising skills and aspirations in the region. For us, devolution has to be about the people of the North East, the benefits they can see within their communities and in ensuring there are opportunities for all to share in the area’s increased prosperity.
Save the date - 27th November 2015
VONNE's annual conference this year is on the subject of devolution and will have a range of expert speakers on the subject, looking at what implications it will have for the sector and communities it serves. Look out for booking details soon.