MPs told to extend devolution to smaller towns and cities

Wakefield Council leader Peter Box, who chairs the newly-formed West Yorkshire combined authority of councils, told a Commons select committee last night it would be “perverse” for the Government to push ahead with proposals to devolve sweeping new powers to England’s largest cities, while allowing other areas to fall further behind.

The coalition has insisted it is firmly committed to decentralising power from Westminster, and has already handed City Deal devolution packages to the largest urban areas, including Leeds and Sheffield.

The Core Cities group, which represents England’s eight largest cities outside London – and includes Leeds and Sheffield – now wants Ministers to go further, by giving them full control over their own finances and end the dependency on Whitehall.

But appearing before the Commons local government committee, Coun Box said it would be deeply unfair if other towns and cities were not given the same control over their own destiny as the largest urban areas.

“It’s not acceptable to say that it would happen in certain areas and not the rest,” the Labour council leader said. “The genie is out of the bottle in terms of devolution, you can’t put it back in.

“To say only the Core Cities would get it would seem to us to be perverse.”

Coun Box’s concerns were echoed by David Hodge, chairman of the County Councils Network which represents shire local authorities in large rural areas.

“I think it would be unfortunate if that were to happen,” he said.

“I think it’s important that every area has the same opportunity to grow. Why should a young person in a county area not get the same opportunity and skills training as they do in a city?”

The Government is under

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