Kirklees leaders back plans for West Yorkshire Mayor to deliver £1.8billion devolution deal

The West Yorkshire Devolution Deal will devolve a range of powers and responsibilities to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).

The five West Yorkshire councils – Kirklees, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Calderdale - already work together through WYCA.

The devolution deal will see the creation of a directly-elected Mayor who will take decisions with members of WYCA

On November 26 Cabinet approved the “Mayoral Order” which has been drafted by WYCA alongside the Government.

The Order is a technical document which will become legislation and includes details of: when the functions will commence, the election of a Mayor of West Yorkshire, the Mayor’s Political adviser, education, skills and training functions, housing, regeneration and planning functions, mayoral development corporation, transport functions, mayoral functions and funding.

This follows a region-wide public consultation on the devolution deal.

Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “This is a huge moment for us as a region – this will give us greater power and resources than we’ve ever had before to shape and build Kirklees alongside the rest of West Yorkshire.

“With the greater decision-making power this gives the region, we will now be in a much better position to shape our own future rather than Westminster.

“This is the biggest deal of its kind and will bring £1.8 billion of investment to our region. 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 Authority for all of their hard work in making this possible and helping us to secure this deal for West Yorkshire.

“Thank you also to all of the residents who took part in the consultation on the deal. Devolution for our region is all about local people, it’s about working closer with you than ever to make the right decisions, backed up by investment, to make Kirklees and West Yorkshire the very best place it can be.”

They Mayor will have transport powers including to draw up a local transport plan and implement bus franchising. It is expected the Mayor will assume powers currently exercised by the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2024.

They will also Chair WYCA and oversee West Yorkshire’s £1.8billion Devolution Deal which includes:

* £38 million per year for 30 years into the West Yorkshire Investment Fund with significant freedoms to spend on local priorities

* a Government commitment to work with West Yorkshire to develop a modern mass transit system through access to a new five-year integrated transport settlement – a share of a £4.2 billion fund for mayoral combined authorities

* £317 million to invest in public transport, cycling and walking through the Transforming Cities Fund with local flexibility on delivery

* a £25 million fund to support the development of a British Library North in Leeds

* a Government commitment to deliver flooding schemes worth £101 million

* control of the £63 million annual Adult Education Budget for West Yorkshire

* £3.2 million to support the development of a pipeline of housing sites across West Yorkshire

* £200,000 Government funding for collaboration at a Yorkshire-level through the Yorkshire Leaders Board