York and North Yorkshire’s devolution deal has hit a significant milestone by being laid out in Parliament.
The devolution deal was laid out in Parliament last week, on 7 November, and the leader of the City of York Council, Coun Claire Douglas, has since described it as a “key milestone.”
Meanwhile, North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Coun Carl Les, said it moves York and North Yorkshire forward to receive “millions of pounds in additional funding from the government [which] will bring real and tangible benefits for hundreds of thousands of people.”
The deal was announced in August 2022 and the two councils say it will bring investment of more than £540 million over the next 30 years to the region.
When the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority becomes a legal entity in 2024, York’s Labour administration will have to work with the Conservative North Yorkshire administration to deliver for their collective people.
Coun Douglas said: “Devolution and the creation of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority presents a huge opportunity for our region.
“The City of York Council committed, in our four-year council plan, to working in partnership to maximise the opportunities arising from devolution and we can’t wait to get started.
“The laying of the draft order is another key milestone as we work towards establishing the new combined authority.
“This is a true partnership effort between York and North Yorkshire, and I want to
thank everyone involved who has worked tirelessly to get us to this point.
“Devolution will allow us to bring significant new investment into York and the surrounding region.
“The announcement that the government has laid the order before parliament, for the creation of a combined authority is very welcome, and the next significant step towards achieving the long-held ambition for devolution for both York and North Yorkshire.
“The new combined authority will be a driving force behind the devolution process, overseeing major strategic projects and how funding will be allocated, and working closely with both North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.”
The creation of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will see a mayor oversee the joint area.