East Midlands Combined County Authority

A North Midlands combined authority was proposed by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in 2016. South Derbyshire District Council, High Peak Borough Council, Amber Valley Borough Council and Erewash Borough Council all voted to reject the proposal, and Chesterfield Borough Council decided to join the South Yorkshire Combined Authority instead.^[2] In July 2016, it was reported that the North Midlands devolution deal had collapsed.^[3] There has been support from several council leaders for an East Midlands combined authority (in response to the West Midlands) with discussions to follow on whether a directly elected mayor would be implemented, and on the future of the existing boroughs.^[4] The scope of the devolution deal has involved the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire, as well as their cities.^[5] The leaders of seven Leicestershire councils wrote in 2020 to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who gave support.^[6][7]

In 2022, leaders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire county councils, and Nottingham and Derby city councils, stated that discussions had taken place for a deal, and that they were open to a mayoral deal.^[8] A proposal was made by Government and signed by the four councils on 30 August 2022, to form the first Mayoral Combined County Authority.^[9]

The deal was criticised for side-lining neighbouring Leicestershire^[10] and some politicians in Leicestershire expressed regret at being left out of the devolution deal, which had been opposed by Leicester City Council. The Centre for Cities said that even combining Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire was "a mistake" as "they are two different counties with distinct local economic needs".^[11]

The combined authority was formally established by the East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 which were made on 27 February 2024.^[12][13]

The area covered by the combined authority corresponds with the territory that makes up the constituent councils i.e. Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and covers 4,790 square kilometres (1,850 sq mi) with over 2 million residents. It includes the districts of Amber Valley, Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, Erewash, Gedling, High Peak, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, North East Derbyshire, Rushcliffe and South Derbyshire.

The first meeting of the combined authority took place on 20 March 2023 at Chesterfield Town Hall and was chaired by Barry Lewis, the Leader of Derbyshire County Council.^[14] The EMCCA Board is made up of the Mayor of the East Midlands and the leaders and deputy leaders Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council.^[15][16]

At June 2024, the board comprised:^[17]

• The Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership

• East Midlands Combined County Authority
• East Midlands Devolution
• East Midlands Combined County Authority meetings
• East Midlands Combined County Authority webcasting
• East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024
• The Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2) Local Enterprise Partnership