Billion pound devolution deal becomes law
The landmark £1.8 billion West Yorkshire devolution deal, which moved forward following the budget last March, became law after the devolution order was approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The signing of the deal law by Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Luke Hall MP, has been described by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as “the beginning of a new era for West Yorkshire” as it brings at least an additional £1.8 billion of public investment into local control over the next 30 years.
The landmark deal will enable the five councils and the Mayoral Combined Authority to improve the lives of local people by supporting transport improvements – with the Combined Authority announcing its mass transit plans earlier this week, adult education, skills and jobs, infrastructure, housing and regeneration, and the region’s economic recovery.
The people of West Yorkshire will be asked to elect the first Mayor for the region in May.
In a joint statement, West Yorkshire’s five council leaders, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford), Cllr Tim Swift (Calderdale), Cllr Shabir Pandor (Kirklees), Cllr Judith Blake (Leeds) and Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield) said:
“We are delighted that Parliament has agreed to turn our landmark £1.8 billion devolution deal, the biggest of its kind, into law.
“Devolution will help unleash our region’s full potential and in doing so raise living standards for our communities and help us make a full contribution to the UK economy. It is a crucial step in ensuring that issues that really matter to the people of West Yorkshire are prioritised, including our recovery from COVID-19, through greater local investment and decision-making powers.
“The deal puts the people of West Yorkshire at the heart of devolution.
It incorporates findings from the public consultation carried out last summer – the largest ever public consultation on English regional devolution with over 4,400 responses.
“We look forward to the election of the first Mayor for the region in May 2021, and working with them to improve the lives of everyone in West Yorkshire.”
The upcoming Invest North virtual conference looks to set the agenda for the economic growth of the North in 2021 and beyond. As part of the event all four of the currently elected metro-mayors will discuss their long-term strategies and the future of the devolved North. Find out more information here.
