Lancashire devolution deal finally signed
It's been seven years in the making - but has it been worth the wait? That's the question local democracy reporter Paul Faulkner put to the politicians at the signing ceremony on the eve of Lancashire Day.
Transcript
00:00 [Music]
00:28 Minister, can you look the people of Lancashire in the eye and say this is the best deal for them?
00:32 Absolutely, because we've worked with the local leaders here in Lancashire to deliver the best deal.
00:38 We've been flexible and we've been determined to get this deal over the line
00:42 and it's what we've achieved in the time that we had.
00:45 And I would say to the people of Lancashire, if they want more powers, if they want more from government,
00:50 we stand ready to work with Lancashire to deepen devolution.
00:55 But as has been said today, this is the first step in that devolution journey
00:59 and I'm really pleased that we were able to make it.
01:02 You spoke in the ceremony about putting local leaders in the driving seat.
01:06 In reality, isn't level 2 really just giving them a little finger on the steering wheel?
01:11 I wouldn't say that at all. I'd say this is the first step in a journey towards deeper devolution here in Lancashire.
01:17 And I think it's really important that Lancashire is going to be able to make key decisions
01:21 over things like transport, over adult education, over the things that matter to the business community here in Lancashire.
01:28 And so I'm really pleased that we've been able to start this journey today.
01:31 But as I say, we stand ready to deepen devolution whenever the local people in Lancashire want to see that.
01:37 Is that deepen within level 2 or maybe progress to level 3 at some point?
01:41 And is a mayor still a red line for level 3, even if they prove themselves capable at level 2, going to put it like that?
01:47 Well, a level 3 devolution deal comes with a mayor.
01:51 But it's not for me, as someone who isn't local to Lancashire, to come here and say,
01:56 "Lancashire has to have a mayor. It's for the people of Lancashire."
01:59 Whether or not they want to take that step to level 3, that's up to them.
02:03 But as I say, my department stands ready to work with Lancashire on whatever further devolution they want to see.
02:09 Why would 15 local council leaders not be a sufficient democratic check on devolution in Lancashire?
02:15 Why would Lancashire need a mayor?
02:18 Well, as I say, this is how devolution works.
02:21 We've set out a devolution framework.
02:24 We want devolution to be meaningful for areas, but we also need it to be simple as well.
02:30 We can't have bespoke deals up and down the country.
02:32 And so that's why we've got a devolution framework, which sets out what comes with the level 2 deal and what comes with the level 3 deal.
02:39 But as I say, it's for local people in Lancashire to determine whether or not they want to take a step further into level 3.
02:45 It's not for me to determine that for them.
02:47 What will success look like from a government point of view for the Lancashire devolution deal? What do you want to see?
02:53 Well, I think the success is actually getting a deal over the line.
02:56 We heard today about the challenges that they've faced over the last few years in actually getting a devolution deal.
03:02 So I think that's the first thing, to recognise that today, just signing this deal is a huge success for Lancashire.
03:08 But I think, you know, continuing to see economic growth in this area, continuing to see that investment in the new technologies of the future here, that's going to be success in Lancashire.
03:18 Some of the powers that have been handed over, devolution of the adult education budget, I know local leaders are quite excited about that.
03:24 But the transport powers, which are often trumpeted as a big part of a devolution deal, the three top tier authorities are already their local transport authorities.
03:33 That's just combining their current powers and pulling them between themselves, isn't it? That's nothing really new.
03:39 Well, on transport, it allows the new county combined authority to set a strategic plan for transport across Lancashire
03:46 and to determine what the priorities are for the people of Lancashire when it comes to transport.
03:51 But I would also say that, you know, there's key things that comes with that, including the potential to franchise the bus services and other things.
03:58 So, you know, it's an ambitious deal getting to level two. And I'm really pleased that Lancashire has been able to do that today.
04:05 Minister, I hope you've enjoyed your day in Lancashire. Thank you very much indeed.
04:08 Thank you.
04:09 County Councillor Williamson, can you believe this day has actually come?
04:12 No, I can't. But I'm very glad to be here. It's certainly been a long and sometimes rather bumpy road for the politicians across Lancashire.
04:20 But the last two years and particularly the last six months, we've made fantastic progress working with colleagues from Blackpool and from Blackburn with Darwin,
04:29 but also lots of people across the county and with government.
04:33 And we've got to the point where we can sign a devolution deal, which is a pretty historic moment for the county.
04:38 Can you really look the people of Lancashire in the eye and say this is a good deal for Lancashire?
04:43 Or is it really, if you're honest, just the best deal that you get?
04:45 I think it's a great deal for Lancashire because we're actually getting on the devolution bus, to use a phrase that some people have coined.
04:53 It actually enables us to have a direct conversation with government.
04:58 It brings down powers and funding from Whitehall that we don't have access to now.
05:02 And it means we can start influencing things much more directly across the county.
05:08 It's been a seven year journey, a long and I should say bumpy journey. Is what's in the deal, devolution of the adult education budget,
05:16 a £20 million innovation growth investment and some transport powers, a lot of which you have as single authorities anyway between the three of you,
05:24 is that really what Lancashire's waited seven years for?
05:27 It's more than that. It's the fact that we are now operating as one voice,
05:33 so that we will have one story to tell, make one case to government and to others.
05:39 We're looking both nationally and internationally to make Lancashire the place to come and do business, come and live here, come and work here.
05:47 You'll be aware that some of the district council leaders are not exactly satisfied, to put it mildly.
05:52 They feel that it's not a great deal and that they've been locked out of implementing it to boot.
05:57 I don't think the districts are locked out in any way.
06:00 They will be an integral part of the combined county authority when it's set up.
06:04 They will have two members sat on the authority.
06:06 They'll be working with us on all the projects that we're looking to be able to develop through the combined county authority.
06:13 So they have lots of influence and a voice on what the combined county authority will do.
06:19 And we're taking stuff, not taking stuff away from them. We're taking powers and influence and funding from government.
06:26 They won't be able to vote though, will they, the two members that are on the combined county authority?
06:30 No, the legislation doesn't enable that.
06:33 But what we have done is safeguarded their voice in this process.
06:37 They will be sitting there having those discussions with us.
06:40 And I'm really looking forward to it because I think if we work together as a team, then we're really going to be able to maximise the deal.
06:47 And it's the start of a journey. We've said this before.
06:50 This is the first devolution deal for Lancashire.
06:53 The other areas are on their seventh, eighth deal.
06:56 But we want to, you know, this is stage one. We then move on.
07:00 What's the best element of stage one in your view of what you have secured?
07:04 That we've actually got here. As you say, it's seven or eight years.
07:07 I'm really pleased with that. There were times when I thought maybe we might not.
07:11 But we have got here and we now have that direct link through to government who really want to help us make it work.
07:17 In terms of the content of the deal, is there anything in particular you think that that's going to make a difference?
07:21 I think the devolution of the adult education budget is going to have a massive, massive influence.
07:26 Business are telling us, are crying out for us to be able to ensure that people who want to join the workforce,
07:33 our young people have the skills to do the jobs in the county.
07:37 And that's going to enable us to be able to really shape that with them.
07:41 Just finally, for people who have sort of let this pass them by slightly, the devolution story over the last seven years,
07:46 you could more than forgive them for that. Sell it to them in just a couple of sentences.
07:50 What can they expect from it and when can they expect to feel the difference?
07:53 They can start to feel the difference almost immediately in that Lancashire will be speaking loud and proud
08:00 about what we've got to offer both nationally and internationally.
08:04 And we'll be working with our partners in business and the universities and the wider sector, education sector,
08:10 to really make the case. And they will be able to see that.
08:13 And they'll be able to look at the deal itself in detail themselves.
08:16 We're going to launch a consultation about the deal. It starts on the 1st of December, runs through to the end of January.
08:23 And we want to hear what people have got to say about it.
08:26 Just on that point, though, it's being signed here today, isn't it? So is that it's an in principle signing?
08:30 It is. It's an in principle signing of the proposal. And it gives us what we now do is go to our councils,
08:35 say we want to go out to consultation. We want it to be a lengthy, meaningful and engaging in consultation process.
08:42 So we're going to run it over two months and I'd encourage people to get involved.
08:45 So people's voice will definitely be heard, even though pen is being put to paper today.
08:48 Absolutely. Absolutely. And then that the feedback that we get from the consultation process may refine or shape the deal further.
08:56 And then we will go back to government and they ask them to implement it.
08:59 County Councillor Williamson, enjoy the ceremony. Thank you very much.