Yorkshire lists its demands as Cameron offers ‘no’ vote prize

Senior figures in the region believe that whatever the result of Thursday’s vote, Westminster’s main parties will find it much harder to credibly resist calls for powers for the English regions having all promised to bolster the Scottish Parliament - which already enjoys significant autonomy from Whitehall - as the price to pay for saving the Union.

David Cameron underlined the offer in his final speech of the referendum campaign yesterday as he told Scots a ‘no’ vote would trigger “major new powers over tax, spending and welfare service” in a process starting in November.

The Prime Minister insisted choosing to stay in the UK was the “patriotic” choice in a speech which mixed appeals to Scottish hearts with stern warnings that a vote for independence would lead to a permanent divorce with dire consequences for mortgages, pensions and the NHS.

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour have all made positive noises about English devolution but there is belief that Scottish referendum campaign has strengthened the region’s hand.

Greater control over local and business taxation, the end to tightly ring-fenced Government grants and freedom to take key decisions on transport and skills locally are all likely to feature.

There is also a desire among many in local government in Yorkshire to move to a “single conversation” with Whitehall rather than dealing with numerous Government departments to get even simple schemes off the ground.

Funding for a “rapid transport system” connecting West Yorkshire towns and cities is among the specific items being considered.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) are working together to develop proposals to present to Chancellor George Osborne in the coming weeks ahead of his Autumn Statement in December which he has already promised will have the northern economy at its heart.

Combined Authority chairman Coun Peter Box said: “To date, devolution in England has been on a piecemeal basis achieved by lobbying Whitehall for money and power for individual projects.

“With the Scottish referendum putting devolution in the spotlight it is important that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and our partners at the LEP make a strong case that answers the questions being posed by the three main political parties but on our own terms,”

In addition to the powers and funding the region needs to grow its economy faster, thoughts are also turning to how greater devolution to Yorkshire would work in practice.

With cross-party political support, Leeds City Council is to begin consulting with neighbouring local authorities and others on whether a new “elected decision-making body” for the Leeds City Region - an area taking in West Yorkshire, Barnsley, Craven, Harrogate, Selby and York - is needed to make sure there is proper public scrutiny of how devolved powers are used.

Pro-devolutionists have faced a longstanding dilemma over matching the need to make sure there are proper democratic controls in place over the spending of large sums of taxpayers’ money with the public’s likely scepticism over any proposals which appear to create a new layer of politicians and bureaucracy.

It is ten years since the last Government’s English devolution plans ground to a halt with voters in the North-East rejecting proposals to create an elected assembly.

Combined authorities such as those already in South and West Yorkshire are seen by many as a way forward, however, there are senior councillors who say that a debate will need to be had sooner or later over whether other bodies are needed.

• Specialist referendum coverage from The Scotsman, sister newspaper of The Yorkshire Post