Kerslake tells ministers to be more radical on devolution

It argues elected mayors are not the only way to ensure that greater power is wielded properly at a local level.

The cross-party report also calls for a more radical approach to devolving financial powers from Whitehall to local areas including stamp duty.

Former Sheffield City Council chief executive Lord Kerslake chaired the panel which produced the report which has been published as parts of Yorkshire push to agree devolution “deals” with the Government.

South Yorkshire struck such a deal last year which will see the area have more control in areas such as transport and skills and the election of a new mayor in May 2017.

Lord Kerslake said: “Greater devolution has the potential to deliver a stronger economy, better services and a stronger Union. But what we are doing now is piecemeal and incoherent.

“As we lead up to the EU referendum and consider our identity within Europe, the need for a wider debate on how we better empower our local areas and govern is greater than ever.

“The time has come for a bigger conversation – one involving all citizens - if we want to reduce the gap between those that govern and those that are governed, and ensure devolution has a strong and lasting legacy whatever the result in June.

“Better and successful devolution across the whole UK cannot happen without a willingness to embrace radical and far reaching change.”

The report acknowledges the moves made by the Government on devolution through “deals” with groups of councils but urges ministers to move quickly beyond “templated” agreements and instead offer “bespoke” arrangements that suit the needs of each area.

It questions the Government’s insistence on elected mayors as part of devolution agreements arguing they are “not the only model of effective accountability” and calls for an end to “no go” areas for Whitehall on devolution.

The report also suggests areas should be allowed to decide their own voting methods for local elections.

Local Government Association chairman Lord Porter said the report “breaks new ground in the devolution debate”.