Devolution

Through partnership we are determined to unleash our region’s full potential and in doing so raise living standards for our communities while making a full contribution to the UK economy.

Making history: A landmark £1.8 billion devolution deal

West Yorkshire is strongest when it works together to deliver for all its communities. Our partnership has grown and strengthened over more than a decade, from the Leeds City Region Leaders Board to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. In March 2020, that partnership was strengthened even further when the five councils of West Yorkshire agreed the largest ever devolution deal of its kind with the Government.

This historic and transformative £1.8 billion deal includes a Government commitment to support the development of a West Yorkshire Mass Transit System and investment from the Transforming Cities Fund. Other resources available through the deal enable the delivery of the full pipeline of West Yorkshire transport projects submitted in the region’s bid.

The creation of the Mayor of West Yorkshire was made possible through this devolution deal, which was agreed by West Yorkshire’s five council leaders and the Government in March 2020 and became law in January 2021. 

We are determined to unleash our region’s full potential and in doing so raise living standards for our communities while making a full contribution to the UK economy

The deal

The deal sets out the new powers, funding and responsibilities which will be transferred from central Government to West Yorkshire. It enables the five councils and the Mayoral Combined Authority to take more decisions on the issues that affect local communities including transport, adult education, skills and jobs, infrastructure, housing and regeneration, and the region’s economic recovery.  

The proposals within the deal were used to inform an eight-week public consultation carried out by the West Yorkshire councils and the Combined Authority over the summer 2020 — the largest ever public consultation on English regional devolution with over 4,400 responses. Most of the people who participated were supportive of the proposals.  

The agreement, the biggest ever of its kind at the time, includes a Government commitment to support the development of a West Yorkshire Mass Transit System and investment from the Transforming Cities Fund which will enable the delivery of the full pipeline of West Yorkshire transport projects submitted in the region’s bid. 

The deal also gave the Combined Authority and Mayor new powers and funding including:  

  • Control of £38 million per year allocation of gainshare investment funding over 30 years, to drive growth and take forward our priorities 
  • Design of a five-year integrated transport settlement starting in 2022/23, and agreement to explore West Yorkshire Mass Transit 
  • New powers on transport, including easier access to bus franchising and a regional approach to control of a Key Route Network 
  • Devolution of Adult Education powers and the Adult Education Budget to shape local skills provision to respond to local needs 
  • £25 million Heritage Fund to support the establishment of a potential ‘British Library North’ 
  • New planning powers to support zero carbon initiatives 
  • £3.2 million to support development of a pipeline of housing sites across West Yorkshire  
  • Transport infrastructure development and funding for the Bradford Station Masterplan and the Outline Business Case for Leeds Station redevelopment  
  • Ongoing partnership with the Environment Agency on identifying and addressing flood risk management requirements with £101 million allocated for West Yorkshire flood risk management schemes  
  • £200,000 for the Yorkshire Leaders Board  
  • £75,000 West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership  
  • Piloting the new National Green Infrastructure Standards with Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)  
  • Transfer of Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) functions to the new Mayor in 2021  
  • Commitment to working in partnership to explore an Act Early Health Institute  
  • Strengthened collaboration and partnership with Government. 

Further devolution arrangements were announced in the Spring 2024 budget.

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