THE proposed devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire is “the right thing to do” for the area, county leaders said, as the historic document was formally signed today.
The deal, which will see the creation of a directly elected mayor with powers transferred from Whitehall, and £540m of investment, was agreed following 20 months of negotiations.
It was signed by Greg Clark, the Government’s Levelling Up Secretary, Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Keith Aspden, leader of City of York Council, at a special event timed to coincide with Yorkshire Day, at York’s National Railway Museum.
Mr Clark, who began his address by wishing everyone a “happy Yorkshire Day,” said: “It’s always been my view that driving prosperity and opportunity in Yorkshire is best done by the people of Yorkshire, the people who know their area best, how could it be otherwise? Questions about transport, about skills, about business investment, taken by people who know this area and who love this area.
"The purpose of having that half a billion pounds is to be able to lever in investors from this country and around the world. The history of these deals is that the initial deal is just the first of what should be a transfer of power from London to the area that goes on and becomes more and more ambitious.”
He said the new mayor would be “visible and accountable” and a “big influential figure, not just locally, but nationally”.
“Just look at what (Tees Valley Mayor) Ben Houchen has achieved in that other part of the historic North Riding,” said Middlesbrough-born Mr Clark, “and the influence he has both nationally and locally."
The mayor, who would be elected in May 2024 if the proposed deal comes to fruition, would lead a new combined authority that would oversee key strategic projects, mirroring similar arrangements that are already in place in areas including the Tees Valley.
Cllr Les stressed that the deal was a starting point from which further powers and investment could be negotiated.
“It is important to say that this is the right thing to do for York and North Yorkshire, but it is also a good thing,” he said. “This is a good deal and I’m very pleased with the deal that we’ve managed to negotiate. What Ben (Houchen) is doing, it just shows that this is the start of the journey, it is not the end, and I look forward to going on that journey with City of York.”
Cllr Les said it was difficult to identify a single priority for the deal, but public feedback suggested that improvements to the A64, electric vehicle charging points and affordable housing were among the most pressing matters.
The 30-year deal will see:
- New powers to improve and better integrate local transport, including the ability to introduce bus franchising
- Powers to better improve local skills to ensure these meet the needs of the local economy. This will include devolution of adult education functions and the core adult education budget
- Over £13m for the building of new homes on brownfield land across 2023/24 and 2024/25, subject to sufficient eligible projects for funding being identified.
- £7m investment to enable York and North Yorkshire to drive green economic growth towards their ambitions to be a carbon negative region
- A key leadership role for the mayor in public safety, taking on the role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and having a clear role in local resilience and civil contingency planning, preparation and delivery
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