The split over the £600m devolution deal for the county has fractured further, after a leading council leader branded consultation over it as "almost a sham".

John Fuller, Conservative leader of South Norfolk Council, slammed the county deal the government has negotiated with County Hall as "half-baked" and criticised the public consultation.

Mr Fuller says that, because the deal includes a directly-elected leader of Norfolk County Council, rather than a 'metro mayor' like Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester, it is not as good as ones in other parts of the country.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk County Council's County Hall headquarters in Norwich. Pic: Mike PageNorfolk County Council's County Hall headquarters in Norwich. Pic: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

But Norfolk County Council's Tory leader Andrew Proctor hit back, saying Mr Fuller is "wrong" in his claims over the consultation and that the government has made clear an alternative to a directly-elected county council leader is not an option.

Eastern Daily Press: John Fuller, leader of South Norfolk Council. Pic: Denise BradleyJohn Fuller, leader of South Norfolk Council. Pic: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

Speaking ahead of an extraordinary meeting where South Norfolk councillors will be asked to agree a highly critical response to the deal, Mr Fuller said: "Sadly we are now having to go public with the shortcomings and uncertainties.

"Norfolk deserves a deal, but the best possible deal is one which is on the same terms as everyone else, not this half-baked one which reverses Norfolk and Suffolk into the sidings.

"And the best possible deal does not mean a directly-elected leader of Norfolk County Council who has to make life and death decisions on social care at the same time as managing the added responsibilities of devolved powers."

On the public consultation, at www.norfolk.gov.uk/norfolkcountydeal, Mr Fuller said: "The questions are so leading that it almost becomes a sham."

He said, for example, the consultation failed to address what would happen to the assets and powers of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership - the business-led partnership which would be scrapped in the deal.

Eastern Daily Press: Andrew Proctor, leader of Norfolk County Council. Pic: Norfolk County CouncilAndrew Proctor, leader of Norfolk County Council. Pic: Norfolk County Council (Image: Norfolk County Council)

But Mr Proctor said all the "salient points" had been made in documents around the consultation and said: "To even think that this is a sham is totally wrong. This is a full consultation and has been approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

"It's giving everybody a clear and obvious opportunity to say what they need to say and I would suggest that Mr Fuller is wrong."

The deal offered by the government to Norfolk County Council would include a £20m a year investment fund for 30 years.

Powers would be devolved from Whitehall to the county council, with the authority getting control of the £10m budget for adult education, £7m for brownfield development, plus £5.9m for housing, regeneration and development.

The public would get to directly elect a leader for Norfolk County Council, who would pick their cabinet from county councillors.

But the directly elected county council leader role would not be the same - or have as many powers - as well-known metro mayors like Greater Manchester's Mr Burnham and Liverpool's Steve Rotheram.

Eastern Daily Press: Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. Pic: Press AssociationGreater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. Pic: Press Association (Image: Press Association)

In those areas, the mayor heads up a combined authority with representatives from other councils, but in Norfolk there will be no such authority. 

But Mr Proctor said the government had made clear a mayor for Norfolk would not be part of this deal.

He said: "Mr Fuller knows full well that for this deal a mayoral combined authority is not on offer. He knows that, but is still of a mind to do this, which I think creates a false impression of what can be done.

"Government has been very clear that, if something different was sought the process would start again and we would go to the back of the queue."

Eastern Daily Press: Former prime minister Liz Truss. Pic: Press AssociationFormer prime minister Liz Truss. Pic: Press Association (Image: Press Association)

A number of MPs, including former prime minister Liz Truss had expressed misgivings and organised a meeting to discuss their concerns.