Residents in Portsmouth were invited to a special online event to explore what the Government’s new English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill could mean for the future of local government in the city and how a directly elected mayor could help bring more powers and funding closer to home.

The event took place on Tuesday 2nd September, hosted by Cllr Charlotte Gerada, Labour Group Leader on Portsmouth City Council, and joined by Amanda Martin MP, and the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin.

It follows the announcement of the Labour Government’s flagship Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill described as the most significant transfer of power out of Westminster in a century. The Bill is set to unlock new powers for local leaders, improve community voice in decision making, and rebalance economic inequality across the regions.

Amanda Martin MP, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North, said: “Too many decisions affecting Portsmouth are made by people who’ve never set foot in our city. This Bill gives us a real opportunity to put power and funding where it belongs in the hands of local leaders who understand our communities.

“This event is about giving residents the facts, not the fearmongering. Tracy Brabin is a mayor who’s already delivering real change in West Yorkshire and I want people in Portsmouth to hear directly what devolution will help us achieve here too.”