City ‘ must not be dragged down by other areas after devolution’

A SENIOR Leeds councillor has warned that the city must not be “dragged down by others” in a forthcoming West Yorkshire devolution deal.

The comments came as Leeds officially rubber- stamped its support for the deal. A West Yorkshire mayor is likely to be elected next May.

According to the plans which were approved at a full city council meeting, the new mayoral region would include Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Wakefield and Calderdale. But some stressed

Leeds must have a strong voice in the mayoral authority, such is its economic importance.

Conservatives group leader Andrew Carter described Leeds as the “capital of the region” and an “economic driving force”, before noting that it had been placed under Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions from December 2 along with the rest of West Yorkshire.

“I hope at some stage we will get input and briefing on how our partners are tackling Covid cases in their area,” he said.

“Leeds cannot be dragged down by the failures of others – that cuts across a number of issues in devolution. I hope we are not going to have a dog in the manger attitude when it comes to working together on this virus.

“This deal, whatever its shortcomings and whatever whinging we hear, is very positive.”

Garforth and Swillington Independents group leader Mark Dobson added: “If current events have taught us anything, it’s that we must not be dragged into other cities’ issues. We need that degree of autonomy to steer our destiny around important events.

“When we look at this deal objectively, it’s been the skeleton of a deal that has been knocking around for a few years.

“As a city, we have put ourselves in the slow lane. When you look at a city the size and scope of

Leeds, with a massive economic footprint, where is the experience and desire, and who is going into bat for Leeds?”

The deal will see more than £ 30m of extra regional funds made available each year, as well as more powers delegated from central government.

Should it be ratified by all West Yorkshire councils, it is set to go before Westminster next month.

While Green Party and Garforth councillors abstained from the vote, all Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems and Morley councillors voted in favour of the deal.

Morley Borough Independents group leader Coun Robert Finnigan said the deal was “the best we could get out of the Government at this particular point”, adding: “We believe decision- making should be delegated down to its most local level.”

Liberal Democrats group leader Coun Stewart Golton said: “This should be celebratory, but I feel the mood has gone from that, because excitement developed decisionmakers for the potential for different regions in the country to make decisions for themselves seems to have been lost over the years.”

Council leader Judith Blake urged colleagues to approach the deal with a sense that this was a chance to get control of the resource and powers needed, adding said: “We will continue to campaign for real and genuine devolution. I don’t believe in England we have anywhere near the model that we need for real devolution – but this is the game in town. To be at the forefront, getting the money that is on the table, moving forward on the mayoral footprint is what we have had to do.”

Leeds cannot be dragged down by the failures of others. Leeds City Council’s Conservatives group leader Andrew Carter.