Devolution in East Yorkshire: What is devolution, when can I vote and when will it happen?

An election for an East Yorkshire mayor could be held in May 2025 under a timetable from the Government published in a Hull City Council report. An agreement on the scope of the deal is set to be finalised by November at the latest so that it can be announced in the Autumn Statement.

The report saidmeaningful public consultation must be included in any submissions to the Government which could do it separately if there is not. The timeline comes after Hull City Council and East Riding Council agreed to look at an elected mayor devolution deal in June, abandoning previous plans for a County Deal. The County Deal plan would have seen control over a combined authority rotated between the two councils.

Prior to that, the councils were exploring a Humber-wide deal but North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire opted for one with authorities in their county. East Riding Council Leader Coun Anne Handley and Hull City Council’s Coun Mike Ross have now opted for an elected mayor.

Coun Ross said a mayor was the only game in town despite previously opposing it, as Hull and the East Riding remains the last part of Yorkshire without a deal. An elected mayor is classed as a Level Three devolution deal and it comes with more powers and funding than the alternatives.

The timetable in the report to Hull City Council’s overview and scrutiny management committee stated it and the East Riding would review the proposed deal in December and January. The results of that review would be published in January and a consultation would take place from then until February.

Responses to the consultation would be looked at in April and May and the implications for the proposed deal would be considered. Final approval to send it to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove would be sought in June.

If the secretary of state signs it off a the Hull and East Riding Combined Authority would be established and powers would be devolved between January and April 2025.

Those powers would include ones over regional transport, skills training and some economic development. A notice of election would also be issued by the combined authority, with a poll set for May. After that there would be a review of the deal to see if there are any ways it could be changed or improved.