Deal over devolved powers is finally agreed

Public asked to back plan covering South Yorkshire

POLITICAL LEADERS across Yorkshire have called for assurances that they will reap the rewards of extra money and powers through devolution after the south of the region managed to reach a long-awaited agreement with the Government.

Brexit, the General Election result and a flexibility from the Government are all factors which are understood to have broken the deadlock over devolution in South Yorkshire and allowed local and national leaders to reach a deal.

The saga, which has dragged on for two years, has finally come to an end after the Government agreed to take the next step towards signing a devolution deal encompassing Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Rotherham for 1.4m people. There are two more steps to take before politicians sign on the dotted line, a Mayoral Combined Authority meeting and a public consultation.

But with all leaders now singing from the same hymn sheet, there is little stopping the deal – which would unlock a minimum of £900m for the area – going ahead, should the public agree.

There are, however, now questions about the remaining 3.2m people in the rest of Yorkshire not yet covered by a devolution, and what happens next for them.

Yesterday, Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry said: “Today’s news represents a considerable step forward in our mission to devolve more power, money and responsibility back to the people of the North.”

And the Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis, added: “We stand at a critical moment for our country. As we leave the European Union, securing further powers and resources for South Yorkshire and building greater cooperation across Yorkshire

will ensure we are best prepared for whatever Brexit brings.”

There were first glimmers of hope in May when the four South Yorkshire councils, Mr Jarvis and the Government agreed on how devolution should proceed.

It meant Barnsley and Doncaster, both of which signed up to the deal in 2015 but then changed their minds to back the One Yorkshire plan, would be allowed to leave the arrangement if things changed. Both feared being trapped in a South Yorkshire deal that would leave them unable to join any Yorkshire-wide arrangement for at least 30 years.

Now, a joint statement from Barnsley and Doncaster leaders – Sir Stephen Houghton and Ros Jones – plus Mr Jarvis, and Sheffield and Rotherham leaders Julie Dore and Chris Read, put all

We stand at a critical moment for our country.

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region.

in agreement on the way forward. They said: “This represents a significant step forward in securing additional powers and resources for our region.”

But others, such as Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy, were worried about other places being left behind. She said: “I’m worried about this race for devolution and that Hull is not going to be listened to fully by this Government.”

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Carl Les, welcomed the news, but said that “has always been a concern” for his region too. However, the deal does not mean there may never be a One Yorkshire arrangement, with a commitment to a cross-Yorkshire board of leaders continuing to leave the door open.

IT HAS taken compromise, conciliation and collaboration to break Yorkshire’s devolution deadlock – three watchwords which need to underpin this region’s future relationship with the Government.

Acknowledging that Ministers have a clear mandate, Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis – a prominent One Yorkshire advocate – has reached agreement over a devolution deal for South Yorkshire.

Backed by council leaders in Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster, it will hasten separate arrangements being signed off for West Yorkshire – further talks are due next week – as a framework for North and East Yorkshire is considered in parallel.

Such transfer of power comes at a time when the need for a strong and effective regional policy has never been greater – Lord Bob Kerslake, the former head of the Civil Service, last year compared the scale of inequalities endemic here to those which confronted

Germany at the time of unification in 1990. They’re that profound.

But – and this is the key point – the Government has agreed, in a key concession, to continue supporting the work of the Yorkshire Leaders Board where the heads of all 21 councils meet to discuss those strategic issues which affect all. And the fact that Ministers sanctioned this keeps alive the option of the whole county uniting in the future under a single mayor if an even more convincing case can be made.

As Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry stressed last week, it is this region which will lose out if it remains at odds with the Government over devolution and there is now a general acceptance of this. That said, it is now up to Mr Berry to reciprocate the trust that he is expecting leaders, and taxpayers, here to place in them. An early test will be whether Mr Jarvis has the financial resources and freedom to utilise his new policy powers.