North Yorkshire’s devolution deal: What’s in it and how will it work?

The historic devolution deal struck between North Yorkshire and the government on Monday will bring millions of pounds into the county — but it could have been more.

Signed off by Greg Clark, secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, the 32-page document promises £540 million over 30 years.

It will also see North Yorkshire and York join other major counties and cities in getting its own mayor and a combined authority to oversee the funding.

Local leaders have lauded the deal as an opportunity not to be missed, but analysis of the document shows it could have offered more.

Guaranteed funding

In 2020, officials at North Yorkshire County Council started discussions with government over the potential for a devolution deal for the county and City of York Council.

This culminated in a 140-page document being drawn up listing the requests for new powers and funding from Whitehall.

It was formally submitted in January 2021 and included proposals such as a £750 million mayoral funding pot over 25 years and more powers over skills, transport and energy.

The funding pot, known as “gainshare”, is guaranteed annual funding from central government.

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Fast-forward 18 months and the fruits of the negotiations between ministers and council bosses have produced something slightly different.

Instead of the requested £750 million funding pot over 25 years, £540 million over 30 years has been agreed.

The initial proposal tabled by council bosses would have seen £25 million a year come into North Yorkshire and York – instead it will be £18 million.

North Yorkshire County Council's offices in Northallerton.

North Yorkshire County Council’s offices in Northallerton.

However, more power over skills and transport will be devolved.

It will see whoever is elected mayor and the new combined authority have control over the adult education budget and the ability to draw up its own transport strategy.

Control over bus franchising has also been granted to the county and the power to set up Mayoral Development Corporations, which have the power to buy land for housing or employment to regenerate a defined area.

Much of the deal echoes what was given to Tees Valley in 2015, whose Conservative mayor Ben Houchen has since exercised his economic development powers to buy Teesside International Airport and Redcar Steelworks.

Extra funding for homes 

Aside from the £540 million over three decades, funding has also been allocated for specific areas.

For example, ministers have awarded £12.7 million towards building homes on brownfield sites over the first two financial years of its existence.

A further £2.65 million has been allocated specifically for low carbon and affordable housing.

It suggests that ministers were more happy to part with cash on housing schemes under the deal than in other areas.

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The only other area in the deal awarded specific funding was £7 million to “drive green economic growth” towards the ambition of creating a carbon negative county.

However, this cash is subject to a business case being submitted to government.

No Harrogate Convention Centre money

While the deal offers funding for the wider county, much of the detail on specific towns and areas amounts to “commitments to engage” or mentions already announced cash for schemes.

Harrogate itself is mentioned four times in the document. Three of those mentions are for the A59 Kex Gill realignment and Station Gateway projects, which are underway. Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge and Masham are not mentioned.

The fourth time Harrogate is mentioned is for Harrogate Convention Centre.

As previously reported, funding for a £47 million upgrade of the centre was requested. But although the centre is mentioned in the devolution document, funding was not pledged.

However, the deal is a provisional agreement and it remains to be seen where the funding will go when the mayor and combined authority is established.

‘Very relieved’

Much of the deal is years in the making for those who have sat around the negotiating table with ministers.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said he was relieved to have signed off on the provisional agreement with ministers.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m very relieved that we have got to this point. We have now got to explain it to the public.”

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

A glance at the main points of the deal shows the government willing to part with millions of pounds worth of funding on the condition that a new layer of governance is set up to oversee it.

For the IPPR North think tank, the new money is welcomed and “should be seized”.

However, Rosie Lockwood, head of advocacy at the think tank, pointed out that cuts due to austerity meant North Yorkshire still faced a difficult future.

She said:

“A devolution deal which unlocks funding and transfers powers from Whitehall to North Yorkshire and York is good news for communities across the area. This is an opportunity to be seized.

“But North Yorkshire and York will face challenges as it moves forward, not least because local government has already been eroded by austerity. We can’t forget that the north saw a £413 per person drop in annual council service spending over the austerity decade.”

What happens now?

Despite the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, putting his signature to the deal, it will still require approval from both North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council.

A public consultation will also be carried out on the devolution deal in the coming months.

From there, the councils can then undertake a governance review to set up the combined authority and mayor, should councillors back the deal.

If all goes ahead, a combined authority for North Yorkshire and York could be in place by autumn next year and a mayor elected in May 2024.

Police find missing Masham teenager

UPDATE: This article has been amended after the girl was found.

Police have found a missing teenager from Masham.

The girl failed to return home on Tuesday night, prompting officers to issue and appeal the following morning.

They said they were concerned for her welfare and urged the public to share any information on her whereabouts.

Police said on August 5 the girl has been found so we have removed her name from the article.

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Developer granted time extension over 30-home plan in Ripon

Councillors have handed extra time to a developer to draw up a ground stability report for 30 homes in Ripon.

Wetherby firm Newett Homes received planning permission in February to build 30 homes at Springfield Close. Its previous bid to build 38 homes was refused.

But Harrogate Borough Council‘s decision was conditional on the company producing a satisfactory ground stability report within four months. Ripon is a notorious area for sink holes.

The borough council’s planning committee yesterday awarded a four month extension for Newett Homes to produce the report.

Council officers told the committee that refusing the scheme at this point would be “counterproductive”.

Gerard Walsh, planning officers, told councillors that the developer had made progress with the report.

He said:

“We have had a look at the information submitted and the progress that has been made and think it would be counterproductive to refuse the application at this point.”

Becky Lomas, planning agent for the developer, told the committee that delays with the report had been caused by delays in resourcing and workloads.

She said:

“We are committed to bringing this site forward.

“Unfortunately, like a lot of the industry at the moment, we have been caught up in delays due to resourcing, capacity and high workloads and as such the contractors could not get on site as quickly as anticipated.”

She added that she felt the report could be provided to the council “sooner rather than later”, but that the extension had been requested to account for any further delay.

Councillors approved the extension, which will see a deadline set for October 2022 for a ground stability report to be submitted to the council.

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Roadworks remain in place across the Harrogate district this morning causing some delays for motorists.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Northern Gas is continuing work on Harrogate’s Grove Road where temporary lights will be in place until tomorrow.

The work is causing queueing traffic on Skipton Road and drivers are urged to allow more time for their journeys.

Motorists should also be aware of ongoing resurfacing work on Claro Road in Harrogate, which will continue until August 9.

Temporary lights are also on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road are still in place as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on the 36 morning services.

The 6 is also unable to reach its stop on Queen’s Road due to temporary lights in the area.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Police release CCTV image after Ripon nightclub assault

North Yorkshire Police has released CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to after an assault outside a Ripon nightclub.

The incident happened outside Wonderland nightclub, North Street, at 2.30am on Friday, July 15.

The victim suffered facial injuries which required hospital treatment.

Officers have asked the public to get in touch if the recognise the man (pictured above) as they believe he may have information which can help with an investigation.

A police statement added:

“Anyone with any information is asked to email sarah.hargreaves@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Sarah Hargreaves.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12220122919 when passing on information.”

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Council set to carry out ground stability work at Ripon Leisure Centre

Ground stability work is set to start underneath Ripon Leisure Centre and could take a year to complete.

The project comes as an investigation was carried out following the discovery of a void beneath the original leisure centre in 2020.

Harrogate Borough Council said the void is understood to have been “present for a number of years and was only discovered when the reinforced concrete slab, which provides the foundation for the new swimming pool, was cast”.

Senior Harrogate borough councillors will be recommended to approve the stability work at a cabinet meeting on August 17.

If approved, work will start on the project in the autumn but could take a year to complete – meaning it will be finished after the council is abolished.

The first floor of the original leisure centre will reopen once the work is complete.

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A temporary gym has been proposed for Ripon Leisure Centre while the stabilisation work is carried out.

Cllr Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said:

“By addressing these historic issues it allows us the opportunity to further invest in the facility and ensure future generations will be able to access modern sport and leisure facilities in their city for many years to come.

“And by providing a temporary gym, while the ground stabilisation works take place, we can minimise the disruption to current and potential customers and ensure they can continue to maintain their health and wellbeing goals.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Traffic is moving as normal in the Harrogate district this morning.

However, roadworks on Skipton Road and Grove Road appear to be causing disruption.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Drivers should be aware of the usual rush hour traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Skipton Road and Knaresborough Road this morning.

Motorists should also be aware of ongoing resurfacing work on Claro Road in Harrogate.

As previously reported, work in the area is expected to continue until August 9. Resurfacing will also be carried out on Devonshire Place and Coach Road during that time.

Northern Gas is also continuing work on Harrogate’s Grove Road where temporary lights will be in place until Friday.

The work is causing queueing traffic on Skipton Road and drivers are urged to allow more time for their journeys.

Read more:

Temporary lights are also on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road are still in place as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on the 1A and 1B morning services.

The 6 is also unable to reach its stop on Queen’s Road due to temporary lights in the area.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

Business group calls for more Harrogate town centre police

Officials at Harrogate Business Improvement District hope more officers will be put into the town centre after latest figures show 187 cases of anti-social behaviour were reported in the area.

Matthew Chapman, manager at the BID, said more police in the area would help to deter such crime.

It comes as the organisation last week launched its Report a Crime campaign, which encourages people to report instances of crime in the town centre.

Latest police figures show that within the force’s Harrogate Town area, which includes the town centre and outer areas, 187 reports of anti-social behaviour were made during May.

The number makes up 31% of all crime reported.

A total of 602 crimes were reported during the month, which also includes 57 instances of criminal damage and 26 reports of shoplifting.

Mr Chapman told the Stray Ferret:

“Harrogate isn’t immune from criminal activity and antisocial behaviour, however, it is a lot safer, cleaner, and more welcoming than many other towns and cities in the UK – and this is something Harrogate BID is doing its upmost to maintain.

“Last week, we launched our Report a Crime campaign, where we are urging businesses, residents and visitors to contact the police via the online reporting system if they witness a crime, or a victim of it.

“Senior Harrogate police officers tell us there are no issues and resources are needed elsewhere, but these figures contradict that view. I hope they will now look again and increase uniformed patrols in and around the town centre, which will have a double effect – that of reassurance and other deterrence.”

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The campaign to report more crime comes as the BID said police statistics did not match what businesses were telling them on the ground.

The kind of crimes being seen by retailers included anti-social behaviour, often linked to drinking, and what’s termed ‘professional begging’.

The new campaign is being backed by Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, whose chief executive David Simister said:

“Harrogate is a fantastic town to live and work, but when it comes to crime it’s not immune.

“It’s important we get a proper understanding of what is happening – or not happening – in our town centre, hence us giving our backing to this campaign.

“In the past I’ve called 101 and after waiting many minutes I’ve simply put the phone down. And by doing this, an incident has gone unreported. In future, report it online and that way it is logged and recorded.”

To report a crime in Harrogate Town centre, visit the North Yorkshire Police website.

Council leader ‘shares disappointment’ over lack of HCC funding in devolution deal

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has said he shares disappointment that funding for Harrogate Convention Centre has not being included in a £540 million devolution deal.

Cllr Carl Les said a bid for funding to support a £47 million HCC redevelopment was included in a request to government, but was turned down.

His comments come as Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, told the Harrogate Advertiser that while he supported the deal, he felt it “fell short” due to a lack of funding for the facility.

The borough council has since had to draw up a bid to the government’s levelling up fund in an effort to support the project.

Cllr Les told the Stray Ferret that the county council would continue to work with the borough council to secure funding for the facility.

He said:

“We did put a request for the Harrogate Convention Centre in the asks which were submitted to government.

“Harrogate sent officers to present the case, but the message from civil servants was that it should not be included.

“I share Richard’s disappointment, but we were given a clear steer and we are supporting Harrogate in that.”

Cllr Les added that the county council “recognised the importance” of the convention centre.

Historic deal

A historic £540 million devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York was announced by government yesterday.

The deal includes £18 million of guaranteed government cash for 30 years and it will also mean the county gets an elected mayor and combined authority.

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The agreement has been described as “a one-in-a-generation chance to help tackle regional inequalities by not only reducing the North-South divide nationally, but also helping to resolve economic differences that are being felt between urban and rural areas”.

Speaking after signing the deal in York yesterday, chief secretary to the treasury, Simon Clarke said:

“Local leaders are best placed to know what their communities need so I’m delighted that the people of York and North Yorkshire will be able to directly elect a mayor to deliver on their priorities.

“Devolution will benefit people across the region and we are committed to boosting more local areas in the same way as we level up the whole country.”

Oxfordshire company given £200,000 contract to review Harrogate junctions

An Oxfordshire company has been awarded £200,000 to oversee a review of junctions as part of mass house building in the west of Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council has appointed RPS Consulting Services Limited to oversee the work, which is part of the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy.

The strategy is part of the wider proposals for the area and builds upon the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, which sets out how the area’s infrastructure and services will cope with 4,000 new homes.

The contract will see RPS Consulting Services review the designs of the junctions within the strategy.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for business and environmental services at the county council, said:

“This is a contract to support us in reviewing proposed junction mitigations for the infrastructure delivery plan, which is required to support growth in the west of Harrogate.

“The work will look at the design and timing of various junction changes, as well as the cost and delivery mechanism.

“It includes a number of junctions which will be looked at as part of a cumulative transport assessment carried out by the developers.”

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Residents have criticised the delivery strategy for lacking detail and being “incoherent”.

Some people said they were disappointed after a meeting last month over some of the proposals in the delivery strategy.

The document was due for completion in May – but Harrogate Borough Council has now said it expects it to be published before the end of the year.

The Western Arc Coordination Group, which represents a range of Harrogate campaign and residents groups, said in a statement after the meeting:

“On the day, we were asked to provide comments on a document that only consisted of a series of diagrams in relation to a number of road junctions without any supporting data. The whole of this work came over as incoherent and lacking any real structure.”

In response, a borough council spokesperson said the meeting was held to help design the strategy and further consultation will take place with residents groups later in the year.