Centre for Cities comment on proposals for Yorkshire-wide devolution deal

Ahead of a parliamentary debate on proposals for a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal, Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said: “For devolution to have the greatest impact in...

Press release published on 10 October 2017

Ahead of a parliamentary debate on proposals for a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal, Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said:

“For devolution to have the greatest impact in boosting economic growth in Yorkshire, it needs to make the most of cities such as Sheffield and Leeds, which are the region’s main drivers of wealth and opportunities. In particular, introducing mayors in these places with powers to improve transport and skills, and to support more businesses and jobs, would make a huge difference in raising prosperity for people living across Yorkshire.

“However, there is a danger that the crucial economic role of these cities would be lost in a Yorkshire-wide devolution deal, which ultimately would not take us much further beyond the one-size-fits-all Whitehall approach that we already have.

“The new mayors of Greater Manchester, Liverpool and West Midlands are already having a big impact in their city regions. Now national and local leaders need to focus on securing similar deals for Yorkshire’s great cities, otherwise these places – and the people who live in and around them – could fall behind in the years to come.”

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