Changes to the way major decisions are made around transport, housing, skills, and investment to benefit local people in Greater Lincolnshire are a step closer today.
In a historic moment, the “Statutory Instrument,” which is required to form the new devolved Greater Lincolnshire County Combined Authority (GLCCA), has been laid in Parliament.
This piece of Parliamentary process follows written consent being sent from Lincolnshire County Council and North and North East Lincolnshire unitary authorities to the Government.
This will mean the formation of the new devolved authority can go ahead, with a first meeting of the new GLCCA expected to take place early in the new year. That will precede the first-ever Mayoral elections across Greater Lincolnshire in May 2025. The process for candidates to stand as the new Mayor is currently being worked through, with more news on deadlines to stand and timetables due soon.
In a joint statement welcoming this latest development, authority leaders Councillor Martin Hill OBE (Lincolnshire), Councillor Philip Jackson (North East Lincolnshire), and Councillor Rob Waltham MBE (North Lincolnshire) said:
“As we move into this final Parliamentary process, we look forward to the new year and a 2025 that brings with it a new dawn for us all here in Greater Lincolnshire.
“The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority will give local decision-makers the chance to shape our area’s future – building a stronger and more prosperous region for generations to come. With this will come better lifestyles for residents and wider opportunities for businesses.”
As reported, the introduction of devolution and the GLCCA brings a total investment pot of £720 million directly into Greater Lincolnshire over the next 30 years. This includes an annual £24 million Mayoral Investment Fund to invest in priority areas, including jobs and skills; housing and highways; transport; business and infrastructure; and innovation and trade.
There is also an initial capital funding pot of £28 million, including brownfield funding for individual schemes across Greater Lincolnshire.
In North East Lincolnshire, this will support the phase one development of a Grimsby Town Centre Transport Hub, while in Lincolnshire, a number of projects are already underway, including road improvements to Old Roman Bank near Sandilands and drainage improvements at Kirkby on Bain.
Upcoming projects include roundabout works at Nettleham and streetworks in Grantham, a business grant programme within the UK Food Valley in South Lincolnshire, and a grant to Sleaford Moor Business Park for the next phase of this low-carbon business park.
In North Lincolnshire, the funding will be used to unlock land in Scunthorpe, Brigg, and Barton-upon-Humber, enabling more homes to be built for older residents.