Devolution in North Yorkshire - MPs to probe impact of new shake-up and its benefits

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee has launched the study, looking at the impact of recent devolution agreements and asking if the transfer of further powers to England’s regions can boost local economies and provision of public services.

The Government may have scotched the aspiration of a 'One Yorkshire' local government body with a single elected mayor for the whole county but it has given its blessing to a new series of mergers and amalgamations within Yorkshire.

A South Yorkshire deal has already been finalised with Government approval while talks about a similar arrangements in West Yorkshire are nearly finished.

Closer to home, discussions began recently to create a new York and North Yorkshire combined authority, complete with an elected mayor and access, potentially, to extra government cash.

The new inquiry in the House of Commons will examine the impact of devolving increased powers in the cities and regions where deals have laready been agreed, and consider how any benefits can be realised in other areas of the country.

It will investigate the effectiveness of the current strategy of developing bespoke deals region by region, as well as the roles of directly elected mayors, quality of scrutiny in decision making and public accountability.

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Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee and Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts said: “The approach the Government has taken is to develop bespoke arrangements for different areas, both in terms of the powers devolved to them and the administrative systems to execute them.

“We have launched this inquiry to understand the impact of the current approach.

"Has tailoring devolution to each locality improved decision making, the local economy and public services?

“Most importantly, we want to discover what opportunities there are for improving outcomes across the country.

“Notably in areas such as transport and health where provision doesn’t match existing local government structures, but also in improving the local economy, environment and infrastructure.

"We will be looking to see how improved devolution can boost cities and regions, and how it can be implemented more quickly.”

Harrogate Borough Council is just one of several, mainly larger, local authorities taking part in talks about possible devolution for York and North Yorkshire.

While keen to keep an open mind, the council is aware of the potential pitfalls as bigger forces come together to construct a new Yorkshire.

There has already been a call, that should a bigger York and North Yorkshire authority happen, it may be necessary to introduce a new single council for the Harrogate district to replace both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

Harrogate Borough Council leader Coun Richard Cooper said: “I think most people would feel that in the new circumstances of a regionally-elected mayor the current division of services between district councils and county councils will have had its day.

“A single council for the Harrogate district should be part of considerations.”

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