EMCCA granted top tier Devo status

Government has awarded East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) the status of Established Mayoral Strategic Authority. 

It comes two-and-a-half years after EMCCA was formed as a legal entity in February 2024.

The upgrade means that EMCCA will have more powers to make decisions locally and deliver for people and businesses across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. 

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “This is a major milestone in our mission to make the East Midlands the best place to live, to work, and to learn. It demonstrates that we are already delivering across the region, and it will enable us to deliver more. 

“Established Status is also an important step towards our 2028 ambition. By then, EMCCA will have a broader and more influential role across the region. This includes taking on Police and Crime Commissioner, and Fire and Rescue Authority functions and governance and working even closer with our local councils and partners. 

“With more powers and an integrated funding settlement to follow, we will be able to plan for the long-term, drive growth, and ensure opportunities are spread fairly across the region.”

What Established Status means

Established Status also means EMCCA can ask Government for additional powers and responsibilities in the future. 

That will offer the EMCCA area greater influence over the issues that matter most to local communities, businesses and the economy and give it greater control over housing, transport, jobs, skills, and investment.

The upgrade was made as part of a recently announced Cabinet Statement entitled Rewiring the State.

East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “We’ve been calling for devolution to be delivered at pace for considerable time and enabling EMCCA to request greater control over funding decisions by having Established Mayoral Strategic Authority status is another significant step forward.

“Planning and decision making for local areas, like Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, is always going to be most effective when in the hands of people who live and breathe the area, know its needs and the growth opportunities first-hand – that’s why delivering more devolved powers to a region is essential for business.

“Following the recent decision to allocate some revenue from income tax and business rates to the Mayor of the East Midlands, EMCCA being granted Established Mayoral Strategic Authority status is another win for Devolution in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, aligned to the policy asks set out in our Framework for Growth.

“I look forward to working with the Authority to ensure the best outcomes for the business community are met.”

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, West of England Combined Authority, and York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority have also been granted Established Mayoral status.

What it means for LLR

Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland currently does not have a Devo deal.

The statement confirms that every area in England is expected to have either created, or be in the process of creating, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with full coverage across the country by 2028.

There are three levels of devolution status:

Foundation Level

• Scope: Applies to non-mayoral authorities, including standard combined authorities, combined county authorities, or designated single councils.
• Powers: Features limited and basic devolution arrangements with minimal decentralised functions.
• Governance: Operates without a directly elected regional leader or metro mayor. 

Mayoral Level

• Scope: Applies to regional combined authorities or combined county authorities led by a directly elected metro mayor.
• Powers: Grants broader localised control over regional transport, adult education and skills, housing, and economic development.
• Governance: Requires a single, directly elected executive mayor to drive regional strategy and accountability. 

Established Mayoral Level

• Scope: Reserved for mayoral strategic authorities that satisfy advanced institutional and governance criteria.
• Powers: Unlocks the widest and deepest range of devolved functions, including integrated single funding settlements and the capability to request further bespoke powers from Westminster.
• Governance: Advanced mayoral frameworks featuring streamlined decision-making processes. 

It is widely expected that Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland will begin as a FSA - a Foundation Strategic Authority.