Metro mayor‘ will not be imposed’
Minister’s pledge on devolution plans
POLITICS: North Yorkshire will not have an elected ‘‘ metro mayor’’ imposed on it as part of the devolution process and the shake- up of local government in the county, says Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.
He says the model used in some areas will not be forced on the area “if local people feel that’s out of character”.
NORTH YORKSHIRE will not have an elected ‘‘ metro mayor’’ imposed on it as part of the devolution process and the shake- up of local government in the county, according to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Writing in The Yorkshire Post today, Mr Jenrick says the mayoral model used in areas such as South Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and Greater Manchester will not be forced on the area “if local people feel that’s out of character with the nature of local life”.
But political leaders in North Yorkshire, who last week were invited to submit proposals for a local government reorganisation, believe they may not get the full benefits of devolution if they do not accept a metro mayor.
And when asked by The Yorkshire Post, the Government was unable to say if having a metro mayor was a condition for getting full devolution. A spokeswoman said more details would be pub lished in the Devolution White Paper, which was due to be published last month but will not come out until next year.
Mr Jenrick writes that as part of his Government’s attempts to ‘‘ level up’’ the country, it is “facilitating local government reorganisation where there is local demand, and more mayors where local communities want them, driving growth across economic areas”. He said: “But, to be clear, the Government will not impose the top down restructuring of local government. That’s not my way. Nor will we impose a mayoral model if local people feel that’s out of character with the nature of local life.”
North Yorkshire County Council leader Carl Les said it was “no secret that the Government works well when it has a single elected contact, a single elected mayor to work with”.
His authority is continuing to work on proposals for a single unitary authority to replace the current two- tier system, as county officials believe areas with such an arrangement are less likely to be granted full devolved powers
Meanwhile district and borough leaders, with the help of consultants KPMG, are drawing up a case for the creation of two unitary authorities; with Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton in the west, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough in the east.