This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/22/sheffield-city-regions-bid-to-absorb-chesterfield-faces-legal-setback
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Sheffield region’s bid to absorb Chesterfield faces legal setback after ruling Sheffield region’s bid to absorb Chesterfield faces legal setback after ruling | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Best known for its surreal crooked church spire, the 800-year-old market town of Chesterfield is not used to being the centre of attention. But the unassuming Derbyshire town has found itself the subject of a fierce custody battle between the county council and a new devolved authority. | Best known for its surreal crooked church spire, the 800-year-old market town of Chesterfield is not used to being the centre of attention. But the unassuming Derbyshire town has found itself the subject of a fierce custody battle between the county council and a new devolved authority. |
| Local politicians have been accused of making a predatory land grab for the historic town thats “risks Chesterfield spending the next 30 years living in South Yorkshire’s shadow” after attempting to place authority for the area with the new Sheffield city region. | Local politicians have been accused of making a predatory land grab for the historic town thats “risks Chesterfield spending the next 30 years living in South Yorkshire’s shadow” after attempting to place authority for the area with the new Sheffield city region. |
| However, the high court ruled on Wednesday that a bid for control of the area by the new city region had failed to consult Chesterfield residents about whether they wanted to join the combined authority. | However, the high court ruled on Wednesday that a bid for control of the area by the new city region had failed to consult Chesterfield residents about whether they wanted to join the combined authority. |
| Derbyshire county council brought the case against Sheffield city region combined authority in August, saying it needed to act immediately to save the town from absorption into Sheffield. | Derbyshire county council brought the case against Sheffield city region combined authority in August, saying it needed to act immediately to save the town from absorption into Sheffield. |
| Chesterfield borough council voted in March to apply to become part of the Sheffield combined authority, which hopes to elect a mayor in May in return for an extra £900m of funding. But Derbyshire council has warned residents that the move could “mean the end of Derbyshire as an administrative county”. | Chesterfield borough council voted in March to apply to become part of the Sheffield combined authority, which hopes to elect a mayor in May in return for an extra £900m of funding. But Derbyshire council has warned residents that the move could “mean the end of Derbyshire as an administrative county”. |
| “Sheffield city region is very predatory,” said the leader of Derbyshire county council, Anne Western. “I think that’s a fair word … They want a bigger scale, a bigger footprint, so they can compete with Manchester and West Yorkshire.” | “Sheffield city region is very predatory,” said the leader of Derbyshire county council, Anne Western. “I think that’s a fair word … They want a bigger scale, a bigger footprint, so they can compete with Manchester and West Yorkshire.” |
| In August, 92% of the 5,000 people who responded to an online poll organised by the county council said they did not want Chesterfield to become a full member of the Sheffield city region. | In August, 92% of the 5,000 people who responded to an online poll organised by the county council said they did not want Chesterfield to become a full member of the Sheffield city region. |
| “It’s partly a kneejerk emotional reaction,” said Western. “It’s a very deep identity thing. People don’t relate to Sheffield and South Yorkshire. They see themselves very strongly as Derbyshire people and want to remain so.” | “It’s partly a kneejerk emotional reaction,” said Western. “It’s a very deep identity thing. People don’t relate to Sheffield and South Yorkshire. They see themselves very strongly as Derbyshire people and want to remain so.” |
| She said there was a “long folk memory” of the reorganisation of local government in 1967 when the north Derbyshire towns of Mosborough and Beighton were absorbed into Sheffield. | She said there was a “long folk memory” of the reorganisation of local government in 1967 when the north Derbyshire towns of Mosborough and Beighton were absorbed into Sheffield. |
| “You’ve got to bear in mind that Chesterfield doesn’t have a border with South Yorkshire,” she said. “It would be a little island floating off the southern boundary of Sheffield city region. And that would cause all sorts of difficulties. | “You’ve got to bear in mind that Chesterfield doesn’t have a border with South Yorkshire,” she said. “It would be a little island floating off the southern boundary of Sheffield city region. And that would cause all sorts of difficulties. |
| “Chesterfield is the biggest market town in Derbyshire and is a transport hub. It’s the centre for bus services and it’s got our mainline railway station and if those services and the resources from those services were to go to Sheffield city region … it just would make transport planning almost impossible.” | “Chesterfield is the biggest market town in Derbyshire and is a transport hub. It’s the centre for bus services and it’s got our mainline railway station and if those services and the resources from those services were to go to Sheffield city region … it just would make transport planning almost impossible.” |
| The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act, which passed into law in January, removed a veto that had allowed county councils to prevent district councils seeking to join new combined authorities outside their county area. | The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act, which passed into law in January, removed a veto that had allowed county councils to prevent district councils seeking to join new combined authorities outside their county area. |
| As it stands, the new city region includes the whole of South Yorkshire, with Chesterfield in Derbyshire and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire applying to join the Sheffield city region. Like Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire county council is fiercely opposed to the move. | As it stands, the new city region includes the whole of South Yorkshire, with Chesterfield in Derbyshire and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire applying to join the Sheffield city region. Like Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire county council is fiercely opposed to the move. |
| The chair of Sheffield city region and leader of Barnsley council, Sir Steve Houghton, has accused Western of issuing “misleading” statements that have served to harm the devolution process. | The chair of Sheffield city region and leader of Barnsley council, Sir Steve Houghton, has accused Western of issuing “misleading” statements that have served to harm the devolution process. |
| A spokesperson for the Sheffield city region combined authority stressed that the judge’s verdict had not quashed the consultative work already been done but had said more was needed before it could be considered by central government. “We will now take some time to consider the judgment and our next steps,” the spokesperson said. | A spokesperson for the Sheffield city region combined authority stressed that the judge’s verdict had not quashed the consultative work already been done but had said more was needed before it could be considered by central government. “We will now take some time to consider the judgment and our next steps,” the spokesperson said. |
| John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield borough council, said a share of at least £484m over the next five years was at stake. “There is no other devolution deal on the table. Council leaders elsewhere in Derbyshire still don’t want an elected mayor, which means there is no prospect of an alternative Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire deal,” he said. | John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield borough council, said a share of at least £484m over the next five years was at stake. “There is no other devolution deal on the table. Council leaders elsewhere in Derbyshire still don’t want an elected mayor, which means there is no prospect of an alternative Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire deal,” he said. |
| Stewart Arnold, leader of the Yorkshire party, which campaigns for a Yorkshire parliament, said the process had highlighted the importance of identity in the devolution debate. | Stewart Arnold, leader of the Yorkshire party, which campaigns for a Yorkshire parliament, said the process had highlighted the importance of identity in the devolution debate. |
| “The people of Chesterfield, despite being near neighbours, do not consider themselves to be part of Sheffield or Yorkshire as a whole,” he said. “This has been a fundamental flaw of the devolution plans all along, which have tended to focus just on financial implications and not on identity and community.” | “The people of Chesterfield, despite being near neighbours, do not consider themselves to be part of Sheffield or Yorkshire as a whole,” he said. “This has been a fundamental flaw of the devolution plans all along, which have tended to focus just on financial implications and not on identity and community.” |