Yorkshire leaders criticise 'hurdle' to £100bn devolution plan

West Yorkshire council leaders criticised Mr Percy for rejecting plans for a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal which would see the creation of an elected mayor for the region.

They also published new figures suggesting their plan could make everyone in the region more than £500 better off in 10 years’ time.

Earlier this week Mr Percy warned the proposals could not be delivered under the law which the Government was not willing to change.

He branded the Yorkshire proposal a “distraction” and said councillors should focus on delivering the previously agreed Sheffield City Region devolution deal - covering South Yorkshire, Chesterfield and Bassetlaw - and finding a separate way forward for West, North and East Yorkshire.

In a joint statement, West Yorkshire council leaders said the refusal to consider the Yorkshire-wide proposal was an “unnecessary hurdle placed in the way of real devolution for and in Yorkshire”.

It continued: “There is nothing to stop Government at least exploring the merits of such a deal – certainly not legal considerations that could easily be overcome if the Government so wished.”

The Yorkshire proposal emerged earlier this year as a way of ending the uncertainty surrounding the Sheffield City Region deal and ending the failure to reach agreement in East, West and North Yorkshire.

The Sheffield City Region deal was agreed in 2015 with then chancellor George Osborne who promised extra powers and £30m a year in return for the area having a new elected mayor.

The mayor was due to be elected in May this year but a legal ruling and tensions between South Yorkshire councils have led to a postponement until 2018.

A variety of proposals covering the rest of the region have failed to secure political support.

A new report, prepared for a meeting of West Yorkshire council leaders, claims the Yorkshire devolution plan could grow the economy by £100bn in 30 years and give each person in Yorkshire an extra £583 in a decade.

It suggests the size of the region would point to the Government providing an extra £125m of funding a year and a £500m housing fund as part of any deal.

All the devolution deals struck so far involve areas having an elected mayor sitting with a combined authority made up of local council leaders.

The Yorkshire deal would lead to a single mayor and three combined authorities representing different parts of the region.

Critics of the proposal argue it would produce a weak mayor and poor accountability.