Autumn Budget: Chancellor announces new devolution deal for Suffolk and Norfolk

Suffolk is to get new elected mayor under plans announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Delivering his Autumn Statement, he told the House of Commons that he had agreed a devolution deal with Suffolk County Council to give local people greater power.

He said the government was also in advanced discussions on mayoral devolution deals with local authorities in Norfolk.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have had an elected mayor since 2017 - with Conservative James Palmer winning the first election.

The mayor would come with new powers and potentially new government funding but final details are due to be released in the next few weeks.

Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council, welcomed the announcement, describing it as a "truly historic deal".

Conservative Mr Hicks said the authority would pursue a model of electing a leader to run the county council rather than a mayor.

He said it would mean the leader of Suffolk County Council would be directly elected by the county's voters, and added it would not mean an additional layer of bureaucracy.

"This deal will be a significant step on our county’s journey towards devolution and more control over our future," he said.

"If agreed, this provisional deal would deliver decades of significant additional investment into local priorities that will improve the lives and outcomes of Suffolk’s residents; secure greater decision-making powers around transport, infrastructure and skills; and give us the powers we need to achieve our net zero ambitions and create the Greenest County."

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