CCN responds to North Yorkshire and York devolution deal

CCN have today welcomed the announcement of the historic devolution deal that the government has agreed with North Yorkshire and York Councils.

As part of the deal, a new directly elected mayor will be created to cover the region who will have powers to invest in transport, housing, and education. This will be backed by £540million in government investment over the next 30 years, as well as a range of new powers devolved from Whitehall which can be better tailored to local circumstances to shape the future of the area.

Responding to the announcement, CCN Chief Executive Simon Edwards said that:

‘This is an historic announcement that will make a significant difference to the services delivered to residents and businesses across the region, helping to unlock opportunities and potential across North Yorkshire and York. I know councillors and officers have worked hard over the past couple of years to secure this deal and will now want to deliver on their ambitious proposals as soon as possible.

 ‘This is the first of a new wave of devolution deals which look to bring decision making closer to communities in counties, putting them on a par with urban areas like Greater Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands. There are nine other areas currently negotiating County Deals and we expect to see significant progress on delivering ambitious deals in these areas over the next few months.

 ‘A new Prime Minister and DHLUC Secretary of State must turbo charge devolution so that more areas across the county can access significant powers and funding to drive economic growth and level up their communities’

 Notes to Editors

 You can find further information about the agreement on the North Yorkshire County Council website here.