Four Norfolk districts have threatened to take legal action over the county’s handling of a devolution deal struck with Government.
South Norfolk, Broadland, Breckland and North Norfolk DCs have written to the leader of the county council, Andrew Proctor, threatening to take the matter to judicial review.
The districts are unhappy at the county’s lack of consultation with them, as well as Norfolk’s decision to formally vote the deal through its cabinet rather than full council.
Ministers agreed separate devolution deals with Norfolk and Suffolk at the end of last year, with both counties plumping for a directly-elected leader of their councils from May 2024.
Breckland leader Sam Chapman-Allen, who is also chairman of the District Councils’ Network, told The MJ he would have expected the county to provide districts and other partners with a ‘full briefing session’ following agreement with the Government.
He stressed that all the districts that had signed the letter were pro-devolution but he felt the agreed deal was not strong enough or ambitious enough.
The Conservative leader said he would have preferred a directly-elected mayoral model for Norfolk, similar to that provided to Tees Valley.
County leader Andrew Proctor said the districts’ move was ‘disappointing’ and insisted the deal was ‘set to bring significant powers and funding to Norfolk’.
He added: ‘I am clear that Norfolk CC has adopted a lawful and appropriate process to move towards its stated aims, and makes a clear commitment to engagement and public consultation through that process.’
The deal would mean Norfolk receiving a £600m investment fund over 30 years.
Norfolk’s Cabinet ratified the deal at a meeting yesterday afternoon and a six-week public consultation on the proposal will now take place.
Its full council will then decide whether to support the change to an elected leader in December.
This article was originally published by The MJ (£).
