Public’s views vital in shaping the future of North Yorkshire

Let’s Talk: take part in county’s biggest conversation - now!

Hundreds of thousands of people living and working across North Yorkshire are being urged to help shape the future of the county before the largest campaign of its kind ends this month.

The most wide-ranging conversation with the public staged by councils in North Yorkshire is entering its final stages, seeking views on a new authority that will launch next spring as well as a much-anticipated devolution deal.

The proposed deal has the potential to bring new jobs, better transport links and affordable housing to York and North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said current public engagement under the Let’s Talk banner is vital to identifying people’s priorities for the new authority, which will launch on April 1 to pave the way for the devolution deal.

Cllr Les, who will assume the leadership of the

new North Yorkshire Council, said: “We want to bring a host of benefits to more than 600,000 people who live and work in North Yorkshire, such as new and better paid jobs, more affordable housing and better transport infrastructure. To do that, we need to create the new council to secure devolution. The reorganisation of local government will in itself create millions of pounds in savings which can be used to finance council priorities and help tackle the funding issues we face.”

The new council will be launched when the county council and the existing seven district and borough authorities merge. While the new authority will cover the largest area of any of the nation’s councils, it aims to be the most local.

Cllr Les said the Let’s Talk North Yorkshire campaign is vital to identify people’s priorities to ensure services ranging from social care and education to waste collection, recycling and highways maintenance can be tailored to the needs of local communities.

The scale of the new North Yorkshire Council’s operations will see it have an overall spend of about £1.4 billion, including £343 million on schools.

The proposed 30-year devolution deal would have an investment fund totalling £540 million to tackle key issues. Devolution would hand decision-making powers to local political leaders and provide millions of pounds to shape major policies and projects.

A mayor, who would be elected in May 2024 if the proposed deal comes to fruition, would lead a new powerful combined authority that would oversee strategic projects.

City of York Council will continue as a unitary authority in tandem with North Yorkshire Council.

The Let’s Talk consultation on the proposed devolution deal runs until Friday, December 16, while the public can give their views on the new council’s financial priorities and how it will serve local communities until Friday, December 23. See how to take part below.