1. Biz Network April 2026 1-50.qxp_Chamberlink 30/03/2026 12:22 Page 5
POLITICS SPECIAL
MEMBER NEWS
...SO WHAT SHOULD THE REGION BE DOING IN THE MEANTIME? LGR – distinct from devolution – is currently under public consultation after three different proposals were submitted to Government about how it might replace LLR’s existing twotier council system with one or more single-tier authorities. The consultation closes in May. For business, the situation poses several questions. How do we close the funding gap between now and the creation of a combined authority? When is it likely to happen? How do we ensure LLR doesn’t fall further behind in investment in the meantime? Recent developments have seen some regions on the Ministry and Housing, Communities and Local Government devolution waiting list being asked to express an interest in “foundation devolution” status – which would mean no regional mayor, but a stepping stone toward deeper (usually mayoral) devolution, rather than an end state. It all suggests mayoral ballot boxes won’t be out in LLR for a while yet, but some mechanisms attached to securing funding and changes in the ways local decisions are made are being put in place behind the scenes. It’s a sort of watered down devolution. An interim fix. But it’s not official yet. And it means there’s still no public timeline for when devolved investment will start flowing into Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland in the way it is to neighbouring areas.
The Chamber’s Framework for Growth looks at the way forward for devolution in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Policy director Richard Blackmore (pictured) explains why. We know that change is coming in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – what we don’t know is when. That ‘not knowing’ presents a further set of questions. The main question being: What should Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland do in the meantime? As the Chamber, we are having regular conversations at all levels of government about the need for a clear and ambitious devolution settlement for LLR. Businesses have a role to play here, too. LLR is an economy of national importance with significant manufacturing, logistics, life sciences and innovation assets. By building its own clear strategic identity and amplifying that through a combined business voice, LLR becomes hard to ignore. But that can only happen with buy-in from businesses, residents and communities and, of course, the support of our area’s politicians. The Chamber’s Framework for Growth seeks to build this coalition by outlining several asks in terms of LLR devolution – and setting out a strategic pathway. Steps include: • Building public and business support to clearly and consistently communicate the benefits of devolution to residents, employers and community partners. This will ensure that stakeholders understand and support the region’s long-term ambitions. • Developing a Local Growth Plan to coordinate how devolved funding is allocated and managed across the region. This will set clear priorities, align investments with local economic objectives, and provide a transparent basis for decision-making.
Richard Blackmore at the Framework for Growth launch at Leicester City FC
• Concentrating on priority powers and areas where local control will have the greatest impact. This will prepare LLR to compete with other areas in key areas such as skills, transport & infrastructure, business & innovation, housing and net zero. These areas of focus, coupled with a strong and strategic growth plan, backed by our politicians – regardless of their party allegiances – will move the area forward. They will ensure the transition to a combined authority continues – rather than waiting for the devolution process to happen. For more on devolution turn to our Politics Special pages, the Big Interview and the general Politics pages.
PER-CAPITA INVESTMENT (£ PER RESIDENT) Region
Population (mid-2024)
Skills £/head
Transport £/head
Infrastructure £/head
Leicester & Leicestershire
1,175,364
£11.3
£70.6
£0.0
Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland (LLR)
1,175,364
£16.2
£73.7
£0.0
East Midlands (EMCCA area)
2,260,614
£44.1
£92.8
£10.4
West Midlands (Mayoral CA)
2,916,100
£69.9
£67.1
£5.4
Greater Manchester
3,009,664
£52.1
£43.0
£6.3
Leicester & Leicestershire are bottom of the table on skills per head. The city and county get a quarter of the funding per head that EMCCA gets for skills and a sixth of amount the West Midlands gets. Transport per head is comparable with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, but below EMCCA, which weakens connectivity relative to the neighbours to the north. Devolved investment for infrastructure shows the starkest gap. The city and county are not in the queue for devolved funding, which could be put directly into the regeneration and strategic upgrades that drive productivity. April 2026 business network
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