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THE former Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Heseltine and the new Mayor for West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, will be speaking at an online event considering the extent of public and business understanding and support for devolution, especially in Yorkshire. The event, online on Tuesday, May 25 from 3.30pm, organised by Policy Yorkshire, in association with Addleshaw Goddard, comes shortly after the first election for the West Yorkshire Mayor which saw around two thirds of voters not participating. Prior to the election, one poll found that fewer than half of voters in West Yorkshire were aware of it and 97 per cent were unable to identify any of the candidates.
A NEW ‘assumption’ in favour of devolving powers to elected mayors should be established to give them the resources they need to make a difference. That’s one of the proposals in a new report published by the region’s think tank organisation Policy Yorkshire, which examines ways of strengthening the county’s voice in Westminster. The report adds that mayors should have the authority to raise and spend the money that’s required in the policy areas they’re responsible for – rather than relying on Whitehall. Publication of the document follows a ‘webinar’ staged by Policy Yorkshire last year, at which speakers included the former Government Communities Secretary – and one-time Worth Valley councillor – Lord Eric Pickles.
New Policy Yorkshire report A NEW report published today has urged Whitehall to devolve more powers and resources to elected mayors in order to make a difference. Published by the region’s think tank, Policy Yorkshire, the report looks at how to strengthen Yorkshire’s voice at Westminster. With the Government pledged to publish a white paper on devolution, Policy Yorkshire is calling for a new assumption that powers should be devolved to elected mayors unless there is good reason why they should be retained centrally. The Think Tank said this should be matched by giving mayors the power to raise and spend the money they need in the policy areas they have responsibility for.