A MAYORAL tax will not come into effect as part of Barnsley’s inclusion in a South Yorkshire devolution deal, it has been confirmed.
Mayor of Sheffield City Region Dan Jarvis, who is also the MP for Barnsley Central, responded to reports that the tax ‘was likely to be introduced’ in order to fund operations of the city region on top of the £30m per year which is handed down from the government.
In April last year, a letter was sent by Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham leaders asking for devolved powers to be unlocked in the region.
Sheffield and Rotherham want a full South Yorkshire devolution deal to be implemented, but Barnsley and Doncaster want the group to be amalgamated into a ‘One Yorkshire’ region, encompassing a much wider area.
The letter also contained the requirement that it did not rule out Barnsley and Doncaster joining a Yorkshire-wide devolution arrangement later which, according to an economic study, could deliver benefits worth £30bn per year or £5,400 per person.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Sheffield City Region bosses published a framework on what they want to see happen in the future following agreement from the four South Yorkshire council leaders involved in the devolution process.
Dan told the Chronicle: “A list has been identified but there’s absolutely no intention of including a mayoral tax from my point of view. It is not part of the devolution plan.”
