DEVOLUTION: '˜Transport deal will make things better'

“The services which Derbyshire County Council refer to are not on the table in the Sheffield City Region deal.

“The only service that is included is transport and there the deal will actually make things better.

“None of us know what will happen in the future but we will have the power of veto over what happens in the future.

“The alternative ‘D2N2’ or North Midlands deal will not be ready to go until 2020 at the earliest after four district councils simply opted out of the process.

“However, we will continue to be non-constituent members of that deal and the county council can still influence the Sheffield process because we are involved in it.

“The idea Anne is unwelcome at Sheffield City Region meetings is simply a lie - she has had an open invitation to attend and she has repeatedly not attended.

“I was at the meeting where the open invitation to Anne was made and as yet there has been no response.

“My hand would be strengthened if she came back round the table.”

“In terms of what the Chesterfield Conservatives are now saying about wanting there to be a referendum I would simply say, what Chesterfield Conservative Party.”