Tory activists want an elected mayor for Hull and East Riding
CONSERVATIVE activists in Hull have called on cross-border council leaders to back the idea of having an elected mayor for the region.
Two months ago city council leader Daren Hale told a council meeting in Hull that having a mayor “might not be the right solution” for the proposed Hull and the East Riding authority.
As such, the current stated preference of the two neighbouring councils is for a new-look strategic authority without one as part of a potential devolution deal with the Government.
But two leading Conservative figures in Hull say the region will continue to be overlooked without a “prominent single voice” to champion the area.
That view has been echoed by some following the publication of the government’s long-term spending plans for railways in the North which dashed hopes for the long-awaited electrification of the main line into Hull.
Mike Whitehead, deputy chairman of West Hull Conservatives, said he was worried the Humber region was being eclipsed by areas such as Teesside where Tory Mayor Ben Houchen is a high-profile figure with a track record for attracting Whitehall investment.
He said: “It is high time that our council leaders bit the bullet and agreed to an elected mayor. The current situation is leaving the region under-represented on the national and international stage.
“For years there has been petty posturing by key players across the Humber who want to defend their fiefdoms and with few seeing the bigger picture.
“Inward investors talk to only one person on Teeside who promotes the area with vigour and aplomb but we have no such focal point, only a disparate group of competing organisations.”
As well as Ben Houchen, other metro mayors include Andy Burnham in
Greater Manchester, Dan Jarvis in the Sheffield city-region and Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire.
All four mayors lead authorities formed by a cluster of local councils which receive devolved funding from the government.
Richard Royal, who chairs the West Hull Conservatives, added: “Many metro mayors in their respective regions do a superb job, allowing them to punch above their weight.
“Without this local figure seeing the strategic view and acting as a central spokesperson for the area, we will continue to be overlooked.
“Conservatives in Hull want Hull and East Yorkshire, along with our closest neighbours on the South Bank, to have a single focus to promote investment in infrastructure to facilitate the huge number of new and existing jobs, particularly in the energy sector.
“It is important these jobs go to our people and that they have the skills needed, otherwise investment will go to Teesside and West Yorkshire instead.”
Based on the result of this year’s Humber-wide Police and Crime Commissioner election, a Conservative mayor would be the most likely current outcome if a poll was held now.
However, because of the delayed saga of devolution in the Humber, any election for a mayor is unlikely to be held until May 2023 at the earliest if that becomes the favoured option.
Speaking at a recent full council meeting, East Riding leader Councillor Jonathan Owen said: “The sooner we can find out what is going to be on the table from Michael Gove and the new Ministry for Levelling Up on combined authorities and devolution, the better.
“We need to know what we can do get the best returns coming into this area in terms of finance.
“The projects are there and we know what the infrastructure needs to be like, it’s just waiting for some clear guidance on how we move forward with whatever you want to call it.
“At the moment, everything is on the table as it has been before, but we do not yet know from central government and particularly Michael Gove how he wants to move forward.”
Mr Gove said this week that he now favoured devolution deals to be led by directly elected mayors.