Column: The East Midlands is shaping its future - and this is just the beginning
In May 2024, I became the first elected Mayor of the East Midlands - an extraordinary honour and a responsibility I carry into every decision.
I made a simple promise: to get things done for the people of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
For too long, our region was overlooked and underfunded, despite the talent, innovation and industrial strengths that make the East Midlands one of the UK’s most important regional economies.
To deliver that change, we have also built the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) from the ground up, bringing councils, businesses and partners around one table, with the capacity to turn funding into results.
Two years on, we are changing that story - securing the biggest wave of investment our region has seen in decades - £2bn for transport, a £1.14bn investment fund, and a further £107m for local growth to back regeneration, business support and skills.
But investment only matters if people feel it - on the commute, at the bus stop and on the school run.
That is why local voices are shaping what comes next: more than 36,500 people took part in my Big Transport Conversation, helping shape a transport plan that works for communities and businesses.
And we are investing in the basics.
Local highways authorities now have more money than ever before to repair roads and tackle potholes - at least £121m a year for the next three years.
We have taken on public transport powers, supported the Peak Pass for students, and backed projects like the Mini-Switzerland pilot to improve travel and cut congestion in the Peak District.
Opportunity should be within reach for more people.
More than 27,000 people have used support through the EMCCA Careers Hub, alongside 2,800 work experience placements - helping 1,600 young people into employment, education and training.
We are building the industries of the future. By helping unlock the STEP Fusion programme, we have put the East Midlands at the heart of Britain’s clean energy ambitions and future job creation.
Through the EMCCA Growth Hub, more than 17,000 businesses have been supported, backing regeneration that will deliver thousands of jobs and homes.
We are taking the East Midlands to a wider audience.
Visit East Midlands will grow our visitor economy by £1bn over the next decade, creating jobs and bringing new visitors across the region.
Projects like The Loop celebrate the landscapes, heritage and communities that make this place unique.
For the first time in a generation, the East Midlands is shaping its own future - and we are only just getting started.