Voters will head to polls to choose first elected mayor

RESIDENTS in South Derbyshire will head to the polls on May 2 to take part in Combined County Mayoral Authority and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Voters across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham will get the chance to choose the firstever elected Mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) in May, after councils gave the go-ahead to devolution for the region.

The EMCCA has been made possible because of a devolution deal between the Government and the four upper tier councils of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham.

The deal includes functions and funding worth £1.14 billion, and it means that decisions about investment in our areas, which are currently taken by central government, will be made locally.

As part of the devolution deal, the new Combined County Authority must have a directly elected mayor.

The government believes a mayor means clearer accountability over local powers, functions and funding.

A key part of the role is to act as an advocate and global ambassador for the area and the 2.2 million residents who live here.

The mayor leads the Combined County Authority and will work with local councils, business representatives and stakeholders to maximise its potential as a place to live, visit, work and do business – focusing on areas like transport, housing, regeneration, employment and skills, economic and investment, and the net-zero ambition.

The mayor will have the powers and responsibilities to make decisions across the whole EMCCA area. However, local authorities would still exist as individual councils providing local services.

The mayor’s term of office will run for four years.

More information about the Combined County Authority, the role of the mayor, and the upcoming elections can be found at www. eastmidlandsdevolution.co.uk.