East Midlands Councils
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| East Midlands Councils | |
|---|---|
| Name | East Midlands Councils |
| Formation | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Nottingham |
| Location | Nottinghamshire |
| Region served | East Midlands (England) |
| Membership | Leicestershire County Council, Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Rutland County Council, Leicester City Council, Derby City Council, Nottingham City Council |
| Leader title | Chair |
East Midlands Councils is a regional local government body representing local authorities across the East Midlands (England). It acts as a consultative and coordinating forum for county, unitary, district and city authorities including Derbyshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Lincolnshire County Council. The organisation liaises with national institutions such as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, engages with devolved bodies like the Greater London Authority precedent, and collaborates with agencies including Local Government Association and Association of County Councils.
History
Formed in the context of post-1990s regional structures, the organisation emerged after reforms associated with the Local Government Act 1992 and the establishment of regional offices such as the Government Office for the East Midlands. Its development followed precedents set by regional assemblies like the East Midlands Development Agency and paralleled discussions around devolution in England and proposals in the 2004 North East England devolution referendum. The body adapted through national changes including the abolition of Regional Development Agencies and the restructuring influenced by reports from the Hazel Blears review and policy shifts under administrations led by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and Theresa May.
Structure and Membership
Membership comprises elected representatives from county councils, unitary authorities and district councils across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Rutland. Key member councils include Derby City Council, Leicester City Council, Nottingham City Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, and North Lincolnshire Council. The organisation includes leader-level forums, chief executives networks and scrutiny panels interacting with bodies such as the Local Government Association, National Audit Office, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and regional offices of Her Majesty's Treasury. Chairs and vice-chairs have included council leaders with links to political groups like the Labour Party (UK), the Conservative Party (UK), and the Liberal Democrats (UK).
Roles and Functions
Its functions include coordinating cross-authority collaboration, representing member councils in discussions with national agencies like the Cabinet Office and Homes England, and providing a forum for strategic planning akin to combined authorities such as the West Midlands Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. It supports commissioning arrangements with bodies like the NHS England regional teams and liaises with agencies including Sport England, Highways England, and Historic England. The body facilitates joint procurement frameworks with partners including the Crown Commercial Service and oversight institutions such as the Local Government Ombudsman.
Policy Work and Regional Advocacy
The organisation conducts policy research and advocacy on matters affecting the region, engaging with initiatives from the UK Treasury and responding to consultations by Department for Transport, Department for Education, and Department for Work and Pensions. It has produced position papers on regional transport schemes intersecting with projects like HS2 and regional rail proposals connected to Network Rail. It advocates on housing issues that relate to Homes England funding streams and planning matters referencing the National Planning Policy Framework. The organisation collaborates with higher education institutions such as the University of Nottingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, De Montfort University, and industry partners like Rolls-Royce (corporation), Bombardier Transportation, and Toyota (UK) on skills, employment and innovation.
Funding and Governance
Funding sources historically include member subscriptions, contract income from regional commissions, and grants tied to national programmes administered by bodies such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and European funding streams previously managed through European Regional Development Fund partnerships. Governance mechanisms mirror principles promoted by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and oversight by audit bodies like the National Audit Office and internal audit teams. Financial scrutiny involves alignment with rules from the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 and procurement regulations influenced by EU Procurement Directives historically, and later domestic procurement rules enacted by UK Government.
Key Initiatives and Partnerships
Initiatives include regional economic strategies in conversation with entities like the East Midlands Development Agency legacy programmes, transport partnerships interfacing with East Midlands Airport, and skills pipelines linked to the Skills Funding Agency and local colleges such as Northampton College and Rutland County College. Partnerships extend to health and social care integration with NHS Confederation members, and climate resilience projects referencing frameworks from Committee on Climate Change. Collaborative projects have involved universities and research councils like the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Confederation of British Industry.
Criticisms and Controversies
Critiques have arisen over the transparency and accountability of regional bodies generally, echoing debates involving the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies and controversies around unelected regional quangos cited in reports by the Public Accounts Committee. Questions about cost-effectiveness, duplication with combined authorities such as Sheffield City Region and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, and the role in delivering housing targets tied to Homes England have been raised by stakeholder groups including Local Government Information Unit and think tanks like the Institute for Government and Policy Exchange. Disputes over funding cuts following austerity measures under administrations including that of David Cameron and George Osborne have also featured in local media such as the Nottingham Post and Derby Telegraph.