MPs call for faster action on Devolution in LLR

Labour MPs representing Leicester and Leicestershire have called on Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to urgently bring forward a single proposal to secure a devolution deal for the area.

The three MPs have requested a clear public timetable - warning that further delay risks the region missing out on vital investment, economic opportunities and powers that could help transform local communities.

While other regions across England continue to secure new devolved powers and investment packages, Leicester and Leicestershire risk falling behind unless progress is made quickly.

The MPs add that, with Government attention increasingly focused on empowering regions, there is a significant opportunity for Leicester and Leicestershire to position itself at the front of the queue for future investment, powers and long-term economic support.

They state that residents and stakeholders need a clear commitment from the local authorities that they are working at pace to secure the powers and investment necessary to boost productivity, attract inward investment and support the growth of key sectors across the region.

The MPs are now urging Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to provide residents, businesses and colleges and universities with a clear roadmap for securing a devolution settlement, including key milestones and timescales.

Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West, said: “The future of local jobs, business investment, skills and public services in this country will increasingly be shaped at a local level.

"Leicester and Leicestershire should be leading that conversation, not watching from the sidelines.

“That is why we need a clear, public timetable for securing devolution and ensuring our region can benefit from the investment, powers and opportunities that will follow.

“The time has come for Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to make a commitment to devolution.”

Jeevun Sandher, MP for Loughborough, said: “Loughborough, Shepshed, and the Villages are being held back because Leicestershire doesn’t have the powers it needs.

“Our area has one of the lowest investment rates in the country. Our businesses, our world-beating universities, and our constituents are all paying the price in lower productivity and lower wages.

“Devolution would put control where it belongs - here in Leicestershire, so that, together, we can build a more prosperous county.”

Amanda Hack, MP for North West Leicestershire, said: “Leicestershire has so much to offer, but we do not have the strategic single voice or the powers that devolution brings.

"What we have instead is a fragmented approach that is an active barrier to long-term productivity and growth.

“I’ve been campaigning to reinstate passenger rail between Burton and Leicester, but we don’t benefit from financial settlements allocated to city regions, so we’re not getting our fair share of transport connectivity.

"The only way to ensure that my constituents in North West Leicestershire thrive in the long term is give them a strong Devolution package.”