The proposed devolution deal will be transformative for North Yorkshire - Carl Les

However, I truly do believe that we are on the cusp of a moment that is set to prove life-changing for generations to come in both North Yorkshire and York.

Recently, a major step was taken to pave the way for a devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire, which has the potential to bring new and better paid jobs, improved training and skills, more affordable housing and measures to tackle climate change.

Both North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council backed plans to send the results of a public consultation, which received support from residents, businesses and voluntary and community groups, to the Government for consideration.

The deal for York and North Yorkshire would see the election in May 2024 of an influential mayor who would become a figurehead for the region and forge close links with the Government.

We have to wait to see if the Government decides to progress with the creation of a mayoral combined authority later this year, but I am hopeful we will see a mayor elected in 2024.

The proposed agreement for York and North Yorkshire itself would allow us to target those issues which are so important to our communities, as it includes an investment fund totalling £540m over its 30-year term that can be spent on local priorities.

The proposed deal is a once-in-a-generation opportunity with a particular focus on evolving North Yorkshire’s traditional industries, such as farming, while also embracing new sectors such as the green technology revolution.

One of the key elements of the proposed devolution deal would be to bolster the local economy and attract a wave of new enterprise, especially in the green sector.

The proposed deal includes a £7m investment to drive environmentally-friendly growth with the ambition for York and North Yorkshire to become the first region nationally to be carbon negative, meaning more carbon dioxide emissions would be removed from the atmosphere than are emitted.

There is also proposed investment of up to £2.65m to deliver affordable low carbon housing and a commitment to establish a working group with the Government to develop BioYorkshire.

The chance to bring devolution to York and North Yorkshire is happening while we embark on a watershed in local democracy in the county.

The Government has stipulated that a key requirement for any devolution deal for North Yorkshire is for the current two-tier system of local government, with the county council and seven district and borough councils, to be replaced by a single unitary authority.

City of York Council will continue as a unitary authority to run in tandem with the new North Yorkshire Council, which will launch in just over four weeks on April 1.

We have been forging close and effective working relationships with our colleagues in North Yorkshire’s district and borough councils to bring about the monumental challenge of establishing the new authority.

But this is an opportunity for us all to look at the way we work and bring about a far more coordinated approach to delivering hugely important services from social care to maintaining our roads and delivering the best education and skills training possible.

Between £30m and £70m will be recouped each year with the launch of the new council by streamlining the services provided by the current eight councils. These will become annual savings, which is so important at a time when we, like all public sector organisations, are facing immense pressures on our budgets.

The new council is facing a £30m shortfall in its first year alone due in part to soaring rates of inflation and while this deficit will be covered by the one-off use of reserves, that approach is not sustainable. We need to make sure we can fully realise the savings that can be brought about by local government reorganisation.

But for all the work that is going on in North Yorkshire to help tackle often long-standing problems such as a lack of affordable housing and the need to boost mobile and internet coverage and ensure that levelling up can truly be realised, we cannot do it on our own.

In a deeply rural county such as North Yorkshire, the Government needs to take into account the importance of the countryside economy and ensure it is put on an equal footing with the urban areas across the North of England.

Carl Les is leader of North Yorkshire County Council.