I will fight north Norfolk's corner - that is the pledge from district council leader Tom FitzPatrick ahead of an East Anglian devolution deal.

Mr FitzPatrick joined representatives from across the region at a meeting with Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Greg Clark last month.

The Eastern Powerhouse proposals have been put together by the cohort of councils, which include the district and county councils of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, along with the Peterborough unitary authority.

Speaking at this week's North Norfolk District Council Cabinet meeting Mr FitzPatrick stressed it was important that nothing of the benefit to the area was left out of any devolution bid.

He said: 'Rural infrastructure and the coastal economy are the real issues for us. Isolated rural areas are extremely important as well, we are nearer to Amsterdam than London as the seagull flies. It is also very important that broadband and mobile phone coverage are not left out.

'Devolution was originally only a Norfolk bid then the Treasury said it should be a combined Norfolk and Suffolk bid then that this was not enough and we should look to Cambridgeshire.

'Every time I give you a briefing the goalposts are moved, but I can give you an assurance I will continue to fight our corner.'

The government has insisted there must be an elected mayor as part of the devolution package – or there would be no deal.