Councils threaten legal action over Norfolk devolution plans
Four councils in Norfolk have threatened legal action against the county council over its approach to devolution, arguing that there has been a lack of consultation.
South Norfolk, Broadland, Breckland and North Norfolk district councils have sent a "letter before action" to the Conservative county council leader Andrew Proctor, ahead of a potential judicial review challenge over the process.
South Norfolk, Broadland and Breckland are Conservative-run district councils while North Norfolk is run by the Liberal Democrats.
Devolution deals were approved by the Government in December to give councils in Norfolk and Suffolk more power over spending.
Under the plans, the county councils would have greater control on housing, skills and regeneration. There would also be elected leaders of the authorities, rather than a mayor as in previous devolution deals.
On 8 December 2022, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced that the Government was “minded to” enter into a County Deal with Norfolk under which the county would benefit from £600m over 30 years of new Government investment.
Cllr Tim Adams, Leader of North Norfolk District Council, said: “I think the county council have mistaken an opportunity to have a County Deal for the benefit of Norfolk with an opportunity for the county council to have a deal that suits them alone.
“There are several constitutional issues with how they have tried to railroad this through without the consent of the council as a whole”.
He noted that his district council has “several concerns” over the deal proposed, one of which being that “key issues such as housing, planning and environment largely fall to the district councils, so it is hard to see how a directly elected leader will bring about any real changes”.
County council leader Cllr Andrew Proctor, who signed the in-principle deal with the Government last month, said: “We have a generational opportunity to unlock significant long-term funding, gain greater freedom to decide how best to meet local needs and create new opportunities for the people who live and work in Norfolk.
"Moving decisions and funding previously controlled in Westminster to Norfolk, for Norfolk; to take control of our own destiny and shape our future; a catalyst for change to build on our strengths, address challenges, deliver infrastructure and grow the economy.
“For too long has Norfolk as a rural county been left behind, which is why devolution is a prize, and one worth fighting for.”
Following a full council two-hour debate on 17 January, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet agreed to progress the deal at a meeting in the afternoon. The debate did not include a vote.
Cllr Proctor asked his colleagues "to stop trying to find ways of blocking devolution". He said in the meeting: "When Norfolk is being offered devolution we should be excited, not finding ways to stop it from happening".
Norfolk County Council has announced that a six-week public consultation on the deal will be launched on 6 February. The full council will decide whether to support the change to an elected leader, in December. If approved, an election will be held in May 2024.
Lottie Winson