A BREAKTHROUGH in the deadlock over devolution in South Yorkshire has been welcomed by the leader of Barnsley Council Sir Steve Houghton.
But he insists it can only progress if there is to be a wider Yorkshire deal favoured by Barnsley voters.
Barnsley Central MP and Mayor of South Yorkshire Dan Jarvis - along with the four South Yorkshire local authorities - have together made a deal asking for devolved powers for the region.
A breakthrough letter has been sent to the secretary of state for communities and local government James Brokenshire.
It asks for powers and resources to be unlocked in the Sheffield City Region.
In the letter - dated on Monday - Mr Jarvis, Sir Steve, and the leaders of Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster’s authorities say they have had productive conversations and set out plans as to how, together with the government, devolution for the Sheffield City Region can move forward while also furthering the future devolution ambitions of individual authorities.
“The people of Barnsley have voted for a Yorkshire deal and we’re not doing anything that will prevent us from getting that deal,” said Sir Steve.
“We are prepared to have a temporary deal with Sheffield and if the government can guarantee us that there will be a Yorkshire deal, we can move forward, but the government have got to assure us that we can have a Yorkshire deal.
“The most important thing is we don’t get a temporary Sheffield deal until we are assured that we can get the Yorkshire deal agreed.”
Mayor Jarvis said: “After months of negotiations, I’m delighted to have brokered a joint devolution position with all of South Yorkshire’s leaders, that I believe will enable us to access the powers and resources that our region needs to continue its economic transformation.
“It’s a pragmatic solution that enables first and foremost, the unlocking of the Sheffield City Region deal, whilst also supporting wider Yorkshire devolution ambitions.
“It is a solution that gives effect to the mandate upon which I was elected, is in line with the community polls held by Barnsley and Doncaster, and accords with the government’s own stated position regarding the next steps for devolution.”
The letter to government asks that millions of pounds in funding is unlocked for the Sheffield City Region, with the understanding that each authority is able to move to other devolution arrangements, should they wish to do so, in 2022, the end of Mayor Jarvis’ current term in office.
The letter to government states: “We are all clear that we should and will actively support each other in the achievement of our individual devolution ambitions.
“Each council has the right to make its own choices about its devolution arrangements, including the right to join, or not to join a wider Yorkshire grouping from the outset if that is what individual places wish to do.
“We all want to see the SCR deal powers and funding unlocked, in place and used up until the end of this current mayoral term in 2022.
“Our view is that Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield Combined Authority (SCR MCA) should remain in its current form until the end of this term.”
The next step will be for the government to respond to the joint letter regarding what will happen next.
