Factions publish overhaul strategies

POLITICS: The two warring factions over the future of local government in North Yorkshire have now published their plans to overhaul services, leaving it up to the Government to decide which is the best way forward.

North Yorkshire County Council published its proposals, which leader Carl Les said were “built on knowledge and expertise”.

THE two warring factions over the future of local government in North Yorkshire have now published their plans to overhaul services, leaving it up to the Government to decide which is the best way forward as doubt was cast over Whitehall’s appetite for creating more mayors.

North Yorkshire County Council ( NYCC) today published its final proposals, which council leader Carl Les said were “built on knowledge and expertise”.

But Keane Duncan, leader of Ryedale Council, speaking on behalf of the seven district councils which propose splitting the area into two, said the county council had used “scare tactics” and that the upheaval of reorganisation may not even lead to the prize of devolution.

Local leaders were told earlier this year by the Government that in order to secure a devolution deal with Whitehall, unlocking extra money and powers plus a metro mayor, that one or more unitary authorities needed to be formed to replace the current district/ county set- up.

NYCC proposes creating one single unitary authority for the majority of North Yorkshire, covering 600,000 people, while leaving York Council to continue as its own authority.

The seven district councils want an east and west model, which would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton join together to form a unitary council in the west, and Selby, York, Ryedale and Scarborough join together to form a unitary council in the east.

According to the study, released last week, this model would produce two unitary authorities with a similar population and economic size that meet the Government’s reform criteria.

But Coun Duncan warned that it was “telling” that neither Boris Johnson nor Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick mentioned metro mayors at the Conservative Party Conference last month.

And there had been reports that the Government was going cold on handing out devolution deals after a public wrangling with Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham over coronavirus restrictions and support.

“It does make you wonder, are we going to actually get in there? Are we actually going to get a combined authority at the end of this, which is supposed to be the prize for going through that reorganisation process?” Coun Duncan said. “I severely doubt that, and it seems to me more and more unlikely.”

The Mail on Sunday reported that a Conservative Party source had suggested the very public row with Mr Burnham would lead to a “serious rethink of the mayor programme”, with the newspaper saying ministers were reviewing signing new devolution deals.

But Northern Powerhouse Minister Grant Shapps reaffirmed support for devolution while speaking at the Great Northern Conference last week.

And Coun Less aid he was confidentthe Government would still push forward with plans. “Boris is very keen on mayors, as we know, and I think that’s because he was one for eight years, and he sees the value in having a single voice standing up for an area,” he said.

“Yes, there are tensions at the moment.

“But I mean, let’s face it, ever since Andy Burnham was elected there have been tensions about this, as indeed there are with Sadiq Khan, but I don’t think that spoils the principle of actually having the elected mayors.”

Launching their document Coun Les said: “Up to now we’ve been releasing parts of our thinking as we’ve been crystallizing them, so now it’s all coming together.”

It does make you wonder, are we going to actually get in there? Ryedale Council leader Keane Duncan.