Another step closer to devolution for North Yorkshire
County Councillors have voted to push ahead with the plan today
Last updated 6th Sep 2022
We are a step closer to getting our an elected mayor for North Yorkshire.
The County Council has voted in favour of going ahead with the plans which it's claimed would bring millions of pounds of investment to the area.
It'd also mean decisions would be made locally rather than down in Whitehall.
Carolyn Franks is from the Federation of small businesses in York and North Yorkshire, she says it's brilliant news "More funding, more investment for the area, more chance for businesses to have investment in skills, better more efficient local services for them."
The proposals will now go to the City of York Council later this month and if approved a consultation will start next month.
Speaking last month when the deal was first announced the Leader of North Yorkshire Council Carl Les, said: “We are the first region in the country to secure the offer of a good devolution with the promise of a publicly elected mayor which covers not just an urban area but the rural expanse of North Yorkshire.
I believe the deal on offer would be life-changing for region’s economy. Many challenges we face could become opportunities in a practical way. Joining up skills and training to support people into better paid jobs, kick-starting green economic growth that delivers on the potential of the geography we have."
If public consultation is agreed, it will run through the autumn and close before Christmas to allow the results to be analysed and quality checked by an independent consultation expert. In the new year, York and North Yorkshire councillors would then consider those results and make a decision on a submission back to Government in the spring. The current timeline then outlines the formation of a combined authority for the region in winter 2023, with the public electing a mayor in May 2024.