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Consultation results published as next steps are taken to progress plans for devolution deal

We asked you for your views about the proposed York and North Yorkshire devolution deal at the end of last year and it was great to see so many of you take the opportunity to have your say on the future of our region. The full report from the consultation has now been published showing widespread support from leading organisations and the public.

The next stage of the devolution decision making process is due to happen next week (w/c 13 February 2023). Members of North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council executives will meet to talk about the outcomes of the report. It will then be discussed at full council meetings later this month where it is widely expected that government will be asked to forge ahead with plans.

You can read the full story and access the report from the public consultation here https://www.ynydevolution.com/post/consultation-results-published-as-next-steps-are-taken-to-progress-plans-for-devolution-deal

Please note- this is the last update that will be posted through this Commonplace news feed in relation to the consultation. To keep up with progress regarding York and North Yorkshire Devolution, please sign up for the newsletter on the devolution website www.ynydevolution.com

A consultation to gather the views of residents, businesses, and communities on the scheme for York and North Yorkshire devolution has now closed. The consultation ran from 21st October to 16th December and received over 1800 responses from the public.

The validity of the response to the devolution consultation has been recognised by the Consultation Institute.

Mike Bartram, a quality assurance assessor from the Consultation Institute said,

“It is understandable that those overseeing a consultation want to see the highest possible response rate from their target audience.

“While they can be influenced by the amount and targeting of publicity and the ease of responding, response rates can also reflect the level of inherent interest in the subject matter of the consultation among certain sections of the target population. In the Institute’s experience, people who are opposed to a proposal appear often to be more motivated to register their opposition than supporters are to show their support. On some occasions, lower response rates may simply reflect a general acceptance of what is proposed, rather than a failure to provide an adequate opportunity to respond or to publicise a consultation properly.

“The areas of the City of York and North Yorkshire have a combined population of 817,900. The consultation has attracted 1831 responses with fully completed demographic data to its online consultation and a total of 2318 consultation contributions. This response rate is comparable to the 2020 West Yorkshire consultation on devolution which received 4,317 responses from a population of 1,889,000.”

The region’s responses to the consultation will now be analysed, with independent support from the Consultation Institute. A report on the outcome of the consultation will be published on the 6th of February for consideration by the North Yorkshire Executive on 14th February. City of York councillors will meet on the 23rd of February for their considerations. These considerations will inform the decision as to whether or not to submit the scheme (as revised if appropriate) and a summary of the responses received to the Secretary of State.

To keep up to date with the progress on devolution and to receive a copy of the consultation outcome report please subscribe to the devolution newsletter at www.ynydevolution.com.

Today marks the last day to have your say as part of the devolution consultation. Please make sure you have added your voice to the consultation and take the survey today if you haven’t yet had the chance. GO DIRECT TO THE SURVEY.

Alongside the consultation for devolution, across North Yorkshire the Let’s Talk consultation is still live. Let’s Talk seeks to gather the views of north Yorkshire residents to inform the new council for North Yorkshire.

From 1 April 2023, North Yorkshire Council will replace the county council and seven district and borough councils in North Yorkshire to deliver all the public services the eight councils currently provide. Having one new council will save money by joining up services to end duplication, helping to support services so they are stronger and fit for the future, as well as fund local decision-making.

They’re holding the biggest countywide conversation that North Yorkshire has ever seen – Let’s Talk – and there’s just over a week left for you to have your say. If you’re a resident in North Yorkshire, find out how you can take part below.

Let’s Talk Local

The new council will be the geographically largest council in England, but it’s being built with local at the heart of everything it will do. Share your views on what makes a good place to live, what you like about your local area, and what you think of proposed community networks.

Visit https://letstalkny.commonplace.is to have your say before 23 December.

Let’s Talk Money

The new council will deliver many services including adult social care, housing, waste collection, transport, planning, community safety and children’s services, with an overall spend of about £1.4 billion. Share your views on what matters to you before the new council budget is agreed, what you think about council tax and your ideas for savings.

Visit https://letstalkny.commonplace.is to have your say before 23 December.

North Yorkshire Council will be holding more important consultations in the new year. When you take part in one of the above Let’s Talk surveys, you have the option to subscribe to further news and updates from Let’s Talk so you’ll be notified when these consultations go live.

Local consultations are also live in the City of York. To find out more visit https://www.york.gov.uk/consultations

Since the devolution consultation launched on the 21st of October we’ve had almost 2000 responses. There is still time for you to have your say.

Devolution for York and North Yorkshire could be an enabler to long term funding, give our region a voice at a national level, and help us to develop the right strategic programmes to support our economy to prosper for the people who live and work here. However, for devolution to go ahead, we need to hear from you.

An information video, consultation documents and FAQs can be accessed via the dedicated devolution website and consultation platform. Visit www.ynydevolution.com.

If agreed, devolution for York and North Yorkshire will see the creation of a combined authority between City of York Council and the new North Yorkshire Council, which will be chaired by an elected mayor. It has the potential to bring significant new investment and powers to York and North Yorkshire and could unlock:

• £540 million (£18 million per year) in Mayoral Investment Funding over 30 years to invest in local priorities;

• investment of up to £50 million to support and deliver the York Central brownfield regeneration scheme;

• £7 million of investment to enable York and North Yorkshire to drive green economic growth towards the ambition to become a carbon negative region;

• investment of up to £2.65 million to deliver affordable, low carbon homes;

• £13 million for the building of new homes on brownfield land across 2023/24 and 2024/25;

• a commitment to establish a working group to support the development of BioYorkshire;

• new powers from Government to drive regeneration and build more affordable homes;

• new transport powers to improve and integrate the regional transport network. If you want to learn more and to help you complete your consultation response, watch our explainer video and read the FAQs here.

Ready to have our say? You can take part in the consultation here.

If you're representing an organisation, you can also supplement your response with a more detailed written letter, which you can send to enquiries@ynydevolution.com

Make sure you have your say by Friday 16th December.

Hundreds of thousands of people across York and North Yorkshire are being given the chance to help to shape the region’s economic future that could bring benefits for generations to come. A major consultation is being launched today (Friday, October 21) to give residents, community groups and businesses as well as academic institutions, charities and voluntary organisations the chance to share their views on a much-anticipated proposed devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire.

The draft deal offers devolved powers and millions of pounds in funding to provide better roads and public transport, improve education and job opportunities, boost economic growth and places York and North Yorkshire at the forefront of the green energy sector to tackle climate change.

Residents are also set to be given the chance to elect a mayor to champion the region at a national level and to help to ensure the Government delivers on commitments to level up opportunities in York and North Yorkshire.

The planned 30-year deal has the potential to bring wide-ranging benefits for future generations to tackle regional inequalities by not only reducing the North-South divide nationally, but also helping to resolve economic differences between urban and rural areas.

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said: “Today marks an important milestone for the journey towards us securing a devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire.

“We really need the public to come forward and give us their views on what is important to them and how devolution can benefit communities and businesses across York and North Yorkshire.

“The chance to secure these decision-making powers and millions of pounds in funding from the Government is set to prove a life-changing opportunity for more than 800,000 people who live and work in York and North Yorkshire.

“Devolution will give local leaders the chance to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing people in York and North Yorkshire – whether that be providing more affordable housing, improving skills and education for better job opportunities, boosting transport infrastructure or tackling the climate crisis.

“This is about creating a brighter and more prosperous future for us all, and I would urge the vitally important business sector in North Yorkshire to come forward in particular, as business owners and entrepreneurs will be key in shaping the economy with the benefits of devolution.”

City of York Council’s leader, Cllr Keith Aspden, added: “Given the levels of funding and devolved powers on offer, devolution presents a real opportunity for York not just to secure investment, but also to have greater influence over matters that our communities care about.

“The timing of this proposed deal could not be more important, giving us the opportunity to unlock 30 years of investment to improve economic prosperity, education and transport as well as work towards becoming the first carbon negative region in the country.

“In the next eight weeks, I hope residents and businesses will take the opportunity to engage in this momentous decision for York and North Yorkshire, sharing their views on the full range of proposals.”

Devolution is a key policy of the Government, handing over decision-making powers to local political leaders and providing millions of pounds in funding to shape hugely important policies and projects on a regional level.

The mayor, who would be elected in May 2024 if the proposed deal comes to fruition, would lead a new powerful combined authority that would oversee key strategic projects ranging from major transport improvements to providing more affordable housing and boosting skills and education for York and North Yorkshire.

Politicians and senior officers from City of York Council as well as North Yorkshire County Council and district and borough authorities undertook detailed negotiations with the Government to draw up the proposed devolution deal, which was unveiled on the annual Yorkshire Day celebrations on August 1.

The chair of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Helen Simpson OBE, said: “This is a historic moment for York and North Yorkshire and creates the opportunity to deliver long-term investment to support business growth.

“I’d like to invite business leaders across the region to contribute to this consultation.

“We need to ensure the business voice is heard and that this investment is unlocked to deliver the new jobs and growth across our great region.”

A mayoral combined authority would mirror similar arrangements that are already in place in areas including the Tees Valley and West Yorkshire.

Key areas of focus for the new mayoral combined authority would include unlocking additional investment for the region and supporting businesses as well as growing the economy and improving employment opportunities.

The combined authority would also oversee projects to build better digital and transport connections, along with providing more affordable housing and supporting action to reduce harmful carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Councils representing the City of York and North Yorkshire will remain, working to deliver vital services to residents.

A submission to pursue a devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire was sent to the Government in 2020, and formal negotiations began at the start of this year.

To find out more about the proposed devolution deal and to take part in the consultation, which runs until Friday, December 16, visit www.ynydevolution.com online.

Media inquiries:

For inquiries concerning the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership: news@ynylep.com

For inquiries concerning City of York: newsdesk@york.gov.uk

For inquiries concerning North Yorkshire: media@northyorks.gov.uk