NOTTINGHAM will be at the forefront of a new cabinet, which has been set up to put pressure on the Government to drive growth outside London.
City council leader Councillor Jon Collins will be vice-chairman of the new group, which includes all council leaders from the eight core cities of the UK.
Today, Mr Collins and other members of the cabinet will meet Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to discuss the High Speed Two rail plans and other transport projects. And tomorrow, they will have their first meeting to develop policies.
Nottingham, which is receiving £60 million from the Government through the City Deal to boost employment, has recently launched its own growth plan for the city and now Mr Collins will lead on the growth portfolio for the new cabinet.
He said: "The core cities already collectively contribute more to the national economy than London and, with more freedoms and powers, could do even more.
"The City Deals have been a welcome start but we are urging the Government to go further and help us to secure jobs and a thriving economy through an ambitious programme for growth.
"In Nottingham, we've had significant success in attracting investment, delivering ambitious projects and bringing partners together under a growth plan which is having a positive impact and is set to shape a prosperous future for the city.
"I am looking forward to working with the other core cities to pull together a prospectus for growth we will put to Government. It is about emphasising the importance of balanced growth to ensure the south and south-east don't become overheated while the regions remain in recession."
Along with the other members of the new core cities cabinet, Mr Collins has signed a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to participate in "an ambitious programme for jobs and growth" to maximise the economic potential of the UK's big cities.
The other core cities are Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol and Sheffield.
However, Conservative MP for Broxtowe Anna Soubry argued the Government has already shown its commitment to growth in cities like Nottingham.
She said: "Nottingham's had investment in infrastructure on a scale I don't think we've seen before. We've got the long-awaited dualling of the A453 which begins this year, we've got the electrification and improvement of the Midland Main Line – something again which has held us back. And, although the route is controversial, the investment in the tram is again investment in our infrastructure.
"The very first enterprise zone was announced at Boots and it's a huge opportunity.
"I'm not quite sure what more we could have done given that our main priority at the moment is to sort out the country's economy."
