Devolution deal one step closer
CONSULTATION REVEALS ‘OVERALL SUPPORT’ FOR PROPOSALS
DEVOLUTION in West Yorkshire is a step closer to being delivered following the conclusion of a countywide consultation exercise.
The consultation was a key final element in the £1.8bn devolution deal. It opened on May 25 and closed on July 20.
A report to Kirklees Council’s decision-making Cabinet said there was “overall support” for the proposals set out as part of the hopedfor delivery of the deal, which was signed in Leeds on March 12 by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
The report said the positive responses outweighed the negative.
A communications plan implemented by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) was said to have created an estimated 1.79 millon opportunities for people to see information about the consultation and consider participating via print and digital advertising.
There was also a website featuring details of the proposed deal.
And London-based market research company Ipsos MORI was hired to mail information directly to 2,000 “digitally disadvantaged” households across West Yorkshire.
The consultation resulted in a total of 4,413 responses.
In Kirklees there had been frustrations over how to engage the public.
In June it was revealed that people in the borough had given just 36 responses to the region-wide consultation exercise, prompting questions over its accessibility and credibility.
The report on the consultation will be referred to a virtual meeting of Full Council on September 9 for endorsement after a which summary of the results must be submitted to the Secretary of State before an order can be made to create the West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
Speaking at Cabinet yesterday, Conservative group leader Clr David Hall (Liversedge and Gomersal) sought clarity over whether the final sign-off on the deal in Kirklees would be made by Cabinet or full Council.
Council Legal Officer Julie Muscroft said it would be an executive decision made by Cabinet and that it was exempt from call-in to avoid creating a delay.
Clr John Taylor (Con, Kirkburton) said the response from Kirklees people was “appallingly poor” whilst the Greens’ Clr Andrew Cooper (Newsome) said if people were offered only one option they would support it.
Backers of the West Yorkshire devolution deal – including Kirklees
Council Leader Clr Shabir Pandor (Labour, Batley West) – say it could mean billions of pounds in unlocked investment funding for local priorities.
Speaking in June Clr Pandor said powers would be “levelled up” from a national level back to a local level.
He was responding to fears that powers that might shift from Kirklees
Council to the West Yorkshire Mayor when he or she is elected next May.
The £1.8bn deal includes £38m per year for 30 years to go into a West Yorkshire Investment Fund with significant freedoms to spend on local priorities. The Transforming Cities Fund will offer a further £317m and there will be £63m annually geared towards adult education.