Doncaster Mayor welcomes devolution breakthrough

The Sheffield City Region deal is to be laid before Parliament after an agreement was reached on all sides following years of deadlock.

It is expected the money and powers will be available in the next few weeks.

Powers include a mayoral council tax precept in order to fund operations of the city region on top of the £30 million per year handed down from Government.

Dan Jarvis, region mayor, will also be able to have borrowing power in order to get more funds and be able to have a deputy mayor and a political advisor.

Bosses say the mayoral combined authority ‘should have control’ over the consolidated devolved capital transport budget.

The council leaders from Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley would form the mayor’s cabinet.

They will perform a ‘supporting and advisory function’ to the mayor and combined authority and where powers reside with the mayor, the SCR Cabinet may ask the mayor to reconsider his strategies and funding plans if two-thirds of the members agree to do so.

The deal was originally signed in principle back in 2015 under then Chancellor George Osborne.

But both Doncaster and Barnsley council’s u-turned on the proposal and opted to back a Yorkshire-wide deal, something which was not available to take up.

A compromise was reached with the mayor and the four council leaders allowing Barnsley and Doncaster to leave the arrangement providing Sheffield and Rotherham kept their powers and share of devolved cash.

Ms Jones welcomed the next stage in the South Yorkshire devolution deal and said it brings ‘much-needed resources’ to stimulate the economy.

She said: “It is good news and I welcome this significant stage we have reached collectively,” Mayor Jones said.

“A devolution deal for South Yorkshire will bring opportunities and funding that will drive forward our area and signal economic, social and educational change.

“I see this as a step towards being part of the wider Yorkshire deal in the future, but this will bring much-needed resources to stimulate the economy of Doncaster until this occurs.”