North Somerset Council reject £1bn devolution deal

North Somerset Council has opposed proposals to join the £1 billion West of England devolution deal.

In a vote, council members chose not to accept the deal which would require the region to have a directly elected mayor and combined authority.

Following the rejection of the proposal, Councillor Nigel Ashton, North Somerset leader, will appeal to Bristol mayor Marvin Rees alongside leaders at Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire to gain a joint approach to improve the deal on offer.

Ashton, commented: “I am disappointed that despite all our efforts, the deal proposed by Government is not attractive enough for us to support.

“I believe strongly, and this view has been supported by my fellow councillors, that we shouldn’t accept the deal offered in March. Devolution of funding from central government is attractive in principle, but not at any cost.”