On Monday 5 September the proposed devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire will undergo its first public scrutiny.
This will be the first opportunity for councillors and stakeholders to discuss and address the details of the proposed devolution deal.
The proposed devolution deal, which if agreed, will secure significant investment in York and North Yorkshire and draw down new powers from central government. The deal was provisionally signed in York on Yorkshire Day, 1 August 2022, by the Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark MP, City of York Council leader Councillor Keith Aspden, and North Yorkshire County Council leader Carl Les.
The proposed deal seeks to create a directly elected mayor, leading a new combined authority, with powers to invest an additional £540 million in transport, housing, and education over the next 30 years. The deal could also see over half a billion pounds transferred from central government to York and North Yorkshire and invested in local priorities. If agreed, this would be the first city and rural region to see devolution on the scale enjoyed by the core city regions, including South and West Yorkshire.
Once the deal has been discussed by Scrutiny on Monday 5 September, it will brought to the Council’s Executive meeting on Thursday 15 September, where senior councillors will consider the details of the deal, governance arrangements, and proposed consultation. It will then be considered by Full Council to decide whether to proceed and undertake the statutory consultation on the proposed deal.
Leader of City of York Council, Councillor Keith Aspden, said: “This is a major milestone and given the significant investment and powers this devolution deal can potentially bring to York and the wider region, it is undoubtedly a historic moment for our city.
“Devolution represents a real opportunity to secure investment on a new scale and put towards local priorities, from progressing crucial work on BioYorkshire, delivering York Central, or helping us become England’s first carbon negative region. This proposed deal could unlock 30 years of investment to improve economic prosperity and long-term opportunities for all of our residents and businesses.
“If agreed by Full Council, we will be undertaking a consultation later this year to seek residents and businesses views on this incredibly important matter. I look forward to discussing the details of the deal and the opportunities ahead with residents and businesses over the coming weeks and months.”
Helen Simpson OBE, chair of York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “More local powers, decision making and funding can only help deliver our ambitions for the region. Devolution presents an incredible opportunity for York and North Yorkshire and we are pleased the process has reached this landmark stage.
“Public scrutiny of the proposed devolution deal is another step towards delivering long term investment into York and North Yorkshire.”
Carolyn Frank, FSB development manager for York and North Yorkshire, said: “Federation of Small Businesses members generally welcome the opportunities that devolution brings, and want to see joined up thinking in both local and national government, and pro-small business thinking and strategies that create the right economic conditions for them to achieve their ambitions.
“The transfer of power to local government through devolution ensures decision making is made with their businesses in mind, and their communities.
“We know that small businesses are at the heart of the economy in York and North Yorkshire, the biggest employers overall in the private sector, and they want to see skills and infrastructure improvements prioritised, so that they have a skilled workforce to call on, and so that they are well connected with opportunities to trade locally, nationally, and internationally.
“Stronger private and public sector partnership through devolution will give small businesses a bigger voice and a chance to make the change they want for the local area, as community and business leaders.”
Vice-chancellor of the University of York, professor Charlie Jeffery, said: “Devolution secures significant investment and powers for our region, which will help us to address many of the challenges we face locally and ignite innovation and growth.
“The support for BioYorkshire outlined in the deal will play a crucial role in delivering the benefits of devolution. It will boost the partnership’s ambitious green agenda to create jobs, lift the regional economy and support North Yorkshire’s goal to become one of the first areas in the UK to be carbon negative.”
