County hopes to benefit from Bristol's prosperity

There are hopes a county can cash in on a neighbouring city's wealth in a proposal to join its combined authority as part of devolution plans.

Gloucestershire County Council leaders agreed on Tuesday to make it clear to ministers they wish to be placed with West of England Combined Authority (Weca) amid the reorganisation of local government across England.

The plan is for the districts within the county to merge to create one or more unitary authorities and then join a combined authority.

Lisa Spivey, council leader, said there were other options looking to the north, but the metrics suggest going towards Weca - and Bristol - is in the county's best interests.

Combined authorities allow two or more councils to collaborate on key regional decisions such as economic development, transport and housing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Weca - led by mayor Helen Godwin - was set up in 2017, involving Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset councils.

These councils used to form one county council - the County of Avon - along with North Somerset, which declined to join the merger but is now rethinking its decision.

Gloucestershire's options include splitting into two unitary councils and having a directly-elected mayor of its own, or creating a partnership with Herefordshire and Worcestershire councils.

But council chiefs are clear their preference is to join Weca.

Spivey said Gloucestershire wants to "access all of the goodies" that come with devolution.

"We've already got existing relationships towards the south, the West of England Combined Authority, whether that's our transport links, skills, growth and our health footprint," she said.

Joe Harris, highways cabinet member, said the council did not need to justify why Weca is the preferred choice.

"We are lucky in that we've got Cheltenham and Gloucester, but we are also dwarfed by the size of Bristol," Harris said.

"And if I'm being honest, I want a share of that prosperity that Bristol helps generate.

"I think we could play a really important part of being part of a really diverse mayoral combined authority area."

Asked about Gloucestershire's prospects of joining, a Weca spokesperson said they continue to work "constructively" with Gloucestershire's councils, as they do with all of their partners, to deliver for people across the West of England.