Support for combined authority
The vice-chancellors of Leicestershire’s three universities have written to the Government, pledging support for a combined authority.
In December, the city, county and district councils agreed to bid for Government approval to set up a combined authority, to guide key decisions on transport, planning, skills and other key issues affecting the area.
Professor Paul Boyle (pictured, University of Leicester), Professor Dominic Shellard (De Montfort) and Professor Robert Allison (Loughborough) have written to Communities and Local Government Secretary, Greg Clark, endorsing the bid.
They state: “A Leicester/Leicestershire combined authority will bring benefit to many and we shall be pleased to support and work with the same, should you approve such a proposal.”
It adds: “We look forward to working closely with the county and city to develop a devolution deal that has high levels of ambition and will bring economic, social and cultural benefits to the people that live here.”
A combined authority would not replace individual councils and their current services but would enable them to work more closely together on key issues. Consultation on the proposals took place during the autumn. Of the 260 people who responded, 68 per cent backed the plans – 32 per cent (81) strongly agreeing and 36 per cent (93) tending to agree.