Harrogate council's future: New plea for radical approach to devolution

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With the Government pledged to publish a white paper on devolution, Policy Yorkshire is calling for a new assumption that powers should be devolved to elected mayors unless there is good reason why they should be retained centrally.

The independent and politically neutral think tank dedicated to generating policy ideas to improve the economic and social well-being of Yorkshire says this should be matched by giving mayors the power to raise and spend the money they need in the policy areas they have responsibility for. This, it continues, would end the need for them to go cap in hand to Whitehall.

Whilst such a move would require an end to the belief that Whitehall knows best, it would also require a concerted effort by the region’s local authorities, mayors and parliamentarians to demonstrate that the region can handle new powers and raise and spend money responsibly.

But Policy Yorkshire also voices concern over a poll last year showing that just 27 per cent of respondents in the Yorkshire and The Humber region supported the idea of directly elected mayors in England,

Councillors and residents in North Yorkshire are currently awaiting a decision by the Government on which of two rival submissions for the future of local government in the county which could see the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council.

While councils across North Yorkshire are in near unanimous agreement on devolution for York and North Yorkshire including an elected super mayor, there is deep division on how to slim down the district councils.

North Yorkshire County Council favours abolishing all existing district councils and creating a new unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire while preserving the existing City of York unitary authority.

Policy Yorkshire's intervention comes following a webinar organised by Policy Yorkshire last year on how to improve Yorkshire’s Voice at Westminster.

The speakers were the former Head of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, Lord Kerslake, the former Communities Secretary, Lord Pickles, the Leader of Leeds City Council, Cllr Judith Blake and Nigel Wilson, Chair of the event’s sponsor, Homes for the North.

Policy Yorkshire's new report calls also for a campaign to raise awareness and support for the concept of directly elected mayors where they already exist or are planned in the region.

It points to polling by Populus last year which found that in the Yorkshire and The Humber region just 27 per cent of respondents supported the idea of directly elected mayors in England, with 31 per cent believing the ones already in existence should be abolished.

The report observes that: “The region’s mayors need to be seen as credible figures, who the public trust to implement real change in their area.”

With a Mayor already in existence in South Yorkshire, one currently due to be elected in West Yorkshire in May and ones proposed for North and East Yorkshire, Policy Yorkshire warns that it is vital that they have parity in respect of the powers they hold.

The report warns that: “The very real danger is that without this it will be difficult to ensure the kind of collaboration that is crucial to the region’s success.”

With the participants to the webinar having warned of the difficulties of achieving anything in Whitehall when the region is seen to be divided, the report calls on the mayors elected across Yorkshire to show a willingness early on to collaborate wherever possible. This will require a formal structure to be put in place to achieve this.

The report includes calls also by Lord Kerslake for Yorkshire to develop policy proposals which are evidence based, entrepreneurial and pro-active.

Matthew Howarth, Chair of Policy Yorkshire, said: “The insight and advice provided by the duo who headed the local government department in Whitehall should be very valuable to all those involved with planning devolution in Yorkshire.

"The recommendations in our report come from them, local council and business leaders and others who took part in the webinar.

"We hope that they provide some useful guidance to ensure that Yorkshire’s devolved structures are both effective and, very importantly, understood and supported by local people.”

Policy Yorkshire’s Patrons are Baroness Eaton DBE, Rt Hon Lord Blunkett and Lord Haskins.

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