Humber devolution deal is a priority – Minister

A DEVOLUTION deal for Hull and East Riding will be a “priority” once local leaders can meet again, a Government Minister has said.

Writing to Hull West and Hessle Labour MP Emma Hardy, Communities Minister Simon Clarke expressed his disappointment that leaders in northern Lincolnshire had rejected proposals to join a cross-Humber devolution deal earlier this year.

North and North-East Lincolnshire councils decided in March to focus on Greater Lincolnshire devolution instead of joining with Hull and East Riding.

But as other deals were reached across Yorkshire, it left the area increasingly isolated in securing more powers and funding from Westminster.

Mr Clarke stressed a crossHumber deal would have been the “optimum outcome”, and said: “We cannot compel local authorities to join a geography and have reluctantly recognised that northern Lincolnshire leaders and MPs consider that their future lies with Lincolnshire.”

But he added: “Once local authorities and partners are able to engage, we want to give priority to negotiating a Hull and East Riding devolution deal.”

It follows deals signed with leaders in West and South Yorkshire in recent months.

Ms Hardy had backed a deal spanning all of Yorkshire and feared Hull would be left behind in a race for devolution.

She said: “Whilst the Minister would have preferred a southbank/northbank devolution deal, this was sadly blocked by his Conservative southbank MPs and so we move to pursuing a Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire devolution deal.”

She said it would create opportunities, including the development of the Humber as a zerocarbon economy.