Public consultation on the creation of a new West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) – including information on how this combined authority would work and what it means – is now open. This follows the decision of Bristol City Council, along with Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and South Gloucestershire councils, to move forward with a £1 billion devolution deal from Government.
The MCA would manage new powers, funding and responsibilities that would be handed from central Government to the region as part of the deal. As a result, more decisions could be made locally, rather than nationally, about spending on regional transport, housing and adult education and skills, for example.
The consultation will run from Monday 4 July 2016 until 15 August 2016 and is being run jointly by Bristol, B&NES and South Gloucestershire councils. The results will be considered by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who will take account of the views of the public when deciding whether the West of England devolution deal should go ahead. The deal will then be subject to final endorsement at a local level.
If it is agreed that the MCA should go ahead, it would be established in the first part of 2017, with elections for the position of West of England Mayor to take place across all three local government areas – Bristol, B&NES and South Gloucestershire – in May 2017.
How to have your say:
- Online: www.westofenglanddevolution.co.uk
- Paper copies of the survey will be available from local libraries, Customer Service Points and One Stop Shops from 14 July – or by calling 0117 922 2848.
- Other formats such as braille are also available by calling 0117 922 2848.
- An audio version is available now on the website above.