‘This year, the East Midlands will see a step change’

The East Midlands stands at a defining moment. For too long, our region has seen good intentions outpace clear delivery, writes the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward.

Now, following the approval of the East Midlands Combined County Authority’s 2026/27 budget, I am changing that narrative. This is not a tentative plan wrapped in aspiration – it is a firm, fully funded roadmap for delivery over the next 12 months and beyond.

At its heart, this budget is about doing what I said I would do. More than £500 million has been allocated to investment and services that will improve lives across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. More than £200m of that will go directly into transport – not just promises, but projects that will get moving this year.

This is a year of tangible progress, in which people will see improvements on the ground. From better maintained roads to integrated transport networks that connect our towns and cities, this investment will make journeys safer, quicker and more reliable. The budget also commits funding to bus services and neighbourhood travel schemes, because transport must work for everyone, not just a few.

But delivery is not only about tarmac and timetables; it is about our people and our communities. That is why more than £225m of revenue funding will support services and programmes that matter most – from skills and employment support to inclusive growth initiatives which help more of our residents to access opportunity and secure good work.

Ambition for the East Midlands

This budget embeds the priorities I have set out in the East Midlands Growth Plan and the Get East Midlands Working Plan, ensuring that ambition is backed by resources and accountability. It is a plan to create homes, generate jobs, and unlock skills – and it is one I can deliver because I have the financing and the collective will to do so.

Devolution is more than a transfer of powers: it is about delivery on behalf of our communities. With clarity in my budget and clarity in my priorities, I am ready to deliver. This year, the East Midlands will see a step change – not in rhetoric, but in real outcomes that touch people’s daily lives.

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