Kirklees residents to have their say on West Yorkshire’s £1.8 billion devolution deal

On May 21 2020 Kirklees Council’s Cabinet approved a motion which will now see the borough take part in an eight-week West Yorkshire-wide public engagement on the region’s devolution deal.

The consultation began on Monday May 25 and will be carried out by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The West Yorkshire devolution deal, the biggest ever of its kind, unlocks £1.8 billion of investment for West Yorkshire.

This includes £38 million per year for 30 years to go into a West Yorkshire Investment Fund with significant freedoms to spend on the region's priorities.

It will also see the creation of a directly-elected Mayor for West Yorkshire to be elected in May 2021.

Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “I’m proud to have been one the council leaders working together in collaboration on this deal for West Yorkshire.

“Throughout the process I have been fighting for the very best outcome for Kirklees and to make sure we get the best deal possible for our residents.

“Thank you to council officers and the Combined Authoirty for all of their hard work in making this possible and helping us to secure this deal for West Yorkshire.

“This is the biggest deal of its kind and will bring £1.8 billion of investment to our region. This includes £38million per year for 30 years to go into a West Yorkshire Investment Fund which we will have the power to spend on our local priorities.

“We will be able to really focus on getting public transport, cycling and walking right for local people, with £317million to invest through the Transforming Cities Fund.

“There will also be a £63million annual Adult Education Budget for West Yorkshire helping us to offer local people more opportunity to develop and learn the right skills to help them succeed.

“Devolution is a huge opportunity for us in West Yorkshire to shape our own future and an important part of this is listening to our residents. So I urge everyone to take part in the public engagement and help us to get this right.

“This is just the beginning of an exciting and significant journey which will see more investment come to places likle Kirklees and, importantly, we will have more power to decide where that invetsment goes.”

In addition to significant funding, the deal announced in the Government’s Budget on March 11 2020, gives West Yorkshire far greater decision-making powers allowing the region to set its own priorities including ensuring a vibrant future for towns and rural areas while securing the economic success of cities.

It comes as a result of extensive negotiations between the Leaders of West Yorkshire Councils and Communities Minister Simon Clarke supported by officers from West Yorkshire authorities and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

People who live, work or spend time in West Yorkshire are all encouraged to take part in the consultation.

Responses to the public consultation, which will be open for eight weeks until 19 July, will be considered by West Yorkshire councils and the Combined Authority in August before they are submitted to the Government as part of the parliamentary process to create the new mayoral combined authority.