Council leaders ask Javid for talks over 'credible' devolution plan

The 17 leaders signed up to the One Yorkshire proposal have asked Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid for a meeting to “progress talks”.

Their letter is the latest sign of the growing momentum behind the One Yorkshire proposal to bring an end to the region’s devolution deadlock.

The letter to Mr Javid says the proposal is “capable of maximising growth across the region, delivering on the Government’s Northern Powerhouse agenda and achieving the support of wider stakeholders throughout Yorkshire”.

The letter says: “We understand the complexities involved but the scale, power, identity and brand attached to Yorkshire means this is the locally led devolution solution we wish to pursue to conclusion with Government.”

The 17 signatories include Barnsley Council leader Sir Steve Houghton and Doncaster elected mayor Ros Jones.

They have come under pressure to drop their interest in One Yorkshire and push ahead with the Sheffield City Region deal they have already agreed in partnership with Sheffield and Rotherham.

The fate of the Sheffield City Region deal, which continues to have the support of Rotherham and Sheffield, is set to be decided at a meeting on Monday.

In a statement ahead of the meeting, Coun Houghton and Mayor Jones said that “real momentum has been created in a short space of time and it is crucial that this momentum is maintained. One Yorkshire must therefore remain our clear priority.”

They said they would consider the options for the future of the Sheffield City Region at Monday’s meeting “carefully”.

The pair insisted their support for One Yorkshire “does not mean we are intent on immediately disbanding Sheffield City Region” and they were  “willing to consider interim solutions that may be viable”.

They added: “However this must not divert us from our key priority, so our next objective is clear.

“We will work with our colleagues across this great county, to secure a One Yorkshire devolution agreement with Government. Everything else should follow from that.”

The Sheffield City Region deal was negotiated with then chancellor George Osborne in 2015 and would see the area receive new powers and £30m a year in extra funding.

However, the deal has been beset by problems including a legal challenge, the withdrawal of Chesterfield and Bassetlaw and disagreement among South Yorkshire leaders. 

The election of a Sheffield City Region mayor, a key element of the agreement, was due to take place in May but was postponed.

A SIGNIFICANT concession has been made by the Government over the One Yorkshire proposal.

Responding to a question from Keighley MP John Grogan, Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry confirmed the law would not need to be changed to allow One Yorkshire to go ahead.

The Government had previously suggested any move to agree a single devolution deal for Yorkshire would require a change in the law.

Areas including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Liverpool have already agreed devolution deals transferring powers and money and elected new metro-mayors in May.