Devolution: What powers will the West Yorkshire mayor have?

Plans to give West Yorkshire its very own elected mayor will be discussed later today by decision-makers at Leeds City Council.
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As part of the devolution deal announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier this month, West Yorkshire is set to be given increased powers of governance, and an extra £38m a year to do this.

As part of the deal, the region is set to have its very own elected mayor from the summer of 2021, but what powers will the mayor have?

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A document set to go before members of Leeds City Council’s executive board sets out the responsibilities and powers of who will be one of the most powerful politicians in the North of England.

West Yorkshire is expected to elect a mayor in summer 2021.West Yorkshire is expected to elect a mayor in summer 2021.
West Yorkshire is expected to elect a mayor in summer 2021.

It reads: “The directly elected Mayor for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority would autonomously exercise their new functions with personal accountability to the electorate, devolved from central government and set out in legislation.”

The document adds that the functions will include housing and planning, as well as powers to put together a spatial development strategy. It also includes housing and land acquisition powers to support regeneration and infrastructure development.

How will they raise money?

Under ‘finance’, it claims the mayor would be allowed to set a precept on council tax to fund Mayoral functions. This is an extra payment placed on top of regular council tax, such as is currently used for police, fire and parish councils.

What about transport?

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Under ‘transport’, it adds the mayor has the power to draw up a local transport plans and strategies, the power to request local regulations requiring large fuel retailers to provide electric vehicle charging points. Powers will also give the mayor bus franchising powers, and will take on Police and Crime Commissioner functions from the following mayoral election in 2024.

How will decisions be made?

Voting members on the mayoral authority will include the elected mayor, five elected members, one appointed by each of the five constituent

councils, as well as three elected members agreed by the constituent councils to reflect the balance of political parties across the combined authority area.

The committee will also include an elected member appointed by the city of York Council (which will remain as a non-constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority), as well as the chair of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, which oversees large infrastructure projects in the region.

When will this happen?

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It is hoped that, should Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield councils agree to the terms of the deal, that a new mayor for the region can be elected in summer 2021. The mayor would serve for three year terms before another mayor election will be held.