Criticism over lack of 'ambition' on Yorkshire devolution plans

Ministers will be asked to provide a formal explanation why the proposal for the area to take on new powers in return for creating an elected mayor, submitted in 2015, has not been approved.

It is widely believed the objections of some West Yorkshire Conservative MPs and their preference for an alternative devolution agreement is why progress has not been made.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority chairman Peter Box said: “I think it was a very ambitious deal and we said at that time we hoped the Government would match our ambitions.

“To date we have had no formal response to that devolution deal based on the Leeds City Region model which we know is the Government’s own economic footprint.”

Coun Box was speaking at a combined authority meeting which agreed to press the Government for an answer on the Leeds City Region deal, which would cover West Yorkshire, Harrogate and Craven.

Members also discussed the emerging proposal for a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal which the Government has also indicated it opposes.

Coun Box added: “We think it is right that the combined authority puts this on the table and make it quite clear to government that we are keen to work with them to get a strong devolution deal that gives us more powers and more cash to do the more of the things we are doing well.”

Bradford Conservative group leader Simon Cooke said the authority was in danger of being “churlish” in putting all the blame on the Government for the failure to agree a devolution deal because of the disagreement within Yorkshire on the best way forward.

“I’m not saying the Government is blameless in this but to keep saying somehow that everything we are suggesting is being blocked simply ain’t true,” he said.