Prime Minister would like Leicestershire Devolution 'as soon as possible'

The Prime Minister has said he wants to see Devolution happen in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland “as soon as possible”. 

Andy Burnham visited Derbyshire last week and was asked about Devolution in the region. 

He told the BBC: "I would like to see all parts of the country, Leicestershire included, with devolved power as quickly as we could possibly do it.

"That was the purpose of setting up Number 10 North.

"It's not a gimmick. It’s actually got a specific job, which is taking power out of Westminster and driving it down into the communities."

Mr Burnham’s comments come just a month after Leicestershire's three Labour MPs, Liz Kendall, Amanda Hack and Jeevun Sandher, wrote to the city and county councils urging them to push for a mayor.

Conversations about the area establishing a mayoral authority have stepped up since the launch of the Devolution Leicestershire campaign.

Calls for a timetable setting out the establishment of a Strategic Mayoral Authority have  prompted a BBC article about the ongoing situation in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland.

East Midlands Chamber research highlighting disparities between funding coming into LLR and areas with elected mayors was put to local politicians for the story. 

Labour's Leicester city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby told the BBC that Leicester has still attracted investment, but he accepts the direction of travel since Mr Burnham became PM.

Within days of starting as the new PM, Mr Burnham announced a raft of new plans designed to give even more decision-making and spending powers to devolved regions.

It was confirmed at the end of July that government will give all mayors of city regions in England a share of income tax revenue.

Mr Burnham also announced his government will allow mayors of English strategic authorities to keep some cash from business rates collected in their areas.

Greater controls over services such as housing, transport, skills also form part of plans.