MP continues fight to bring more decision-making powers to Mansfield and the East Midlands

The Mansfield MP and Nottinghamshire Council leader highlighted the opportunities of “building bespoke local schemes with local exmployers and training providers, and the opportunities from those relationships on a local level as part of a wider strategy within the region”.

He then went on to ask Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride his stance on devolving decision-making powers in this space down to local areas.

Mr Stride acknowledged Coun Bradley’s “significant and important point” and assured him that the Department for Work and Pensions is “engaged in discussions, contingent upon or subsequent to the White Paper that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published on levelling up”.

He went on to say he will ensure they “leverage the knowledge, know-how, expertise and all the resources they have at the local level to continue to bring people back into work.”

Coun Bradley said: “I’m pleased I was able to highlight the importance of ensuring places like Mansfield and the rest of the East Midlands are given the opportunity to get the support we’ve missed out on over the years. Places like the West Midlands and Greater Manchester are over five years ahead of us on this curve, so we have some catching up to do.

“I’m looking forward to us having our East Midlands Combined Authority in place next year so we’ll be able to access extra clout to decide on local plans. This will tackle economic inactivity and bring people back into the workforce.

“By getting things done locally, rather than from a desk in Whitehall, we can work with business and training providers to tackle some of our specific needs and get people trained up for local jobs. It’s a massive opportunity we must grasp with both hands.”