Issue - meetings

The Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer to present a report that seeks approval for the submission of the devolution proposal to Government for the City of York and North Yorkshire.

Resolved:  (i)      That the submission to Government be approved, subject to the inclusion in the ‘asks’ of specific references to workforce skills in relation to adult social care and children’s services and to rail technology and associated jobs in York.

(ii)      That authority be delegated to the Head of Paid Service, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any necessary amendments resulting from each constituent authority’s feedback in submitting the proposals.

Reason:     In order to continue the negotiation process, enabling Government to consider the proposals and present a formal offer for a Devolution Deal back to the authorities.

The Interim Head of Paid Service and the Head of Corporate Policy & City Partnerships presented a report which sought approval for the submission to Government of the devolution proposal for the City of York and North Yorkshire.

Council Leaders had written to Government on 13 February to open up a dialogue to negotiate a devolution deal for the region, in order to access funding and provide additional benefits.  The next stage was to submit the ‘Asks’ proposals to Government.  Ministers would then consider the proposals and respond with a formal offer of a Devolution Deal.  A draft timetable of the full process towards devolution was attached as Annex 1 to the report.  The draft Asks for submission were set out in Annex 2.

In presenting the report, officers stressed that submission of the Asks was an early step in the process and did not bind the authorities to proceed with devolution.  Future steps would involve a statutory Governance Review, triggering a full consultation process.  During their debate on the item, Members suggested some additional proposals for inclusion in the Asks.

Resolved:  (i)      That the submission to Government be approved, subject to the inclusion in the ‘Asks’ of specific references to workforce skills in relation to adult social care and children’s services and to rail technology and associated jobs in York.

(ii)      That authority be delegated to the Head of Paid Service, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any necessary amendments resulting from each constituent authority’s feedback in submitting the proposals.

Reason:     In order to continue the negotiation process, enabling Government to consider the proposals and present a formal offer for a Devolution Deal back to the authorities.