Leaders meet to decide fate of devolution
Crunch talks over devolution
A DEAL to give South Yorkshire more control over its own affairs looks set to collapse today unless council leaders reach a last minute compromise.
The Sheffield City Region devolution deal is widely expected to be effectively scrapped at a meeting of the combined authority of council leaders.
The four South Yorkshire councils signed the Sheffield City Region agreement with then Chancellor George Osborne two years ago which offered £30m a year in extra funding and a transfer of powers from Whitehall to a new elected mayor.
But it has been beset by problems, a mayor has yet to be elected and over the summer Barnsley and Doncaster joined 15 other council leaders from across the region to back an alternative emerging proposal for a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal – known as One Yorkshire.
Rotherham and Sheffield remain committed to the Sheffield City Region deal. It is thought today’s discussion will focus on whether Barnsley and Doncaster can be persuaded to back the Sheffield City Region deal as an interim measure in return for a commitment from Rotherham and Sheffield to pursue the One Yorkshire approach as a next step.
However, South Yorkshire sources were yesterday playing down expectations that such an agreement could be reached amid significant differences between the area’s council leaders and a lack of Government enthusiasm for the idea.
Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid launched a last-ditch
effort to save the Sheffield City Region deal on Friday with a stark message that the Government would not listen to any other devolution proposals for Yorkshire involving South Yorkshire councils.
His letter to MPs and council leaders amounted to a warning to Barnsley and Doncaster that if the Sheffield City Region deal collapses they will not be able to pursue alternatives.
It was also a clear rejection of the One Yorkshire idea and an instruction to the other 15 councils behind it to think again.
Mr Javid’s letter did not appear to have swayed Barnsley and Doncaster who, it is understood, will be clear today they do not want the election of the Sheffield City Region mayor to go ahead.
However, there were signs that his intervention was destabilising support for One Yorkshire.
Harrogate Council leader Richard Cooper, who had backed One Yorkshire, issued a statement on Friday night calling for North, East and West Yorkshire to pursue a deal without South Yorkshire. And yesterday, North Yorkshire County Council leader Carl Les also suggested it was time to take a different approach.
He said: “It was very welcome that the council leaders came together to discuss how we could proceed with devolution. I hope that we don’t lose the spirit of those discussions that we were having.
“I was always concerned at the meetings that one partner was not present - central government. That was why we decided to ask the Secretary of State for a meeting to discuss what was possible.
“We now have that clearly stated in the letter.
“I think we should try to go forward in discussing a devolution deal for the rest of Yorkshire, allow Sheffield City Region to proceed as it is an attractive deal for that area. I hope we can develop a devolution deal for the rest of us that can include Sheffield City Region at some point in the future.”
THE SIGNIFICANCE of today’s meeting of South Yorkshire council leaders should not be underestimated. Not only are the political futures of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster at stake – but the decisions will have repercussions for the whole county as devolution reaches a critical juncture.
Even though there are renewed hopes that a county-wide plan can be made to work – the socalled One Yorkshire option – despite Communities Secretary Sajid Javid’s obstinacy with his latest letter to the region’s politicians, the issue needs to be considered from the perspective of those involved in today’s talks.
Unlike the West, North and East Ridings where there’s been little consensus on future governance structures until relatively recently, it did appear South Yorkshire was joining forces with its counterparts in North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire in a plan backed by the Government.
Yet, when this became beset by legal and other complexities, other options have become available as leaders from across the county look enviously at those rival region making the most of new powers and opportunities – hence why Ros Jones, the Mayor of Doncaster, and Sir Steve Houghton, the leader of Barnsley Council, believe their towns have more to gain by joining forces with One Yorkshire’s advocates.
They deserve credit for seeing the bigger picture. Equally Sheffield and Rotherham Councils should not be faulted for seeing what works for them. Their dilemma is this. If they go it alone, will any devolution deal have sufficient clout to make a difference? Or, if they, too, back One Yorkshire and Mr Javid can be persuaded to think again, will they lose too much influence? Either way, it should be remembered that this issue is not about the politicians concerned and their future roles. It is about jobs, prosperity, investment and what is best for Yorkshire’s future.