Agenda item

Council considered a report that detailed the proposal for the Sheffield City Region Devolution Agreement. Mayor Ros Jones presented the report, and stressed to Members that the proposal in front of Council was one of the most significant changes to local government arrangements in many years. Regional Devolution offered a major opportunity to bring additional decision making powers and economic development funding to the Sheffield City Region. Mayor Jones informed Members that the principle behind the agreement was that many decisions are better made locally, by people who understand the area, rather than in the corridors of Whitehall. The devolution agreement would look to build upon the current Combined Authority arrangements and would provide the Council with an opportunity to take more control over its future.

Members noted that the proposed deal would devolve power and funding from London to the City Region and was specifically focused on economic development. In particular it covers areas including major infrastructure schemes, housing, transport and skills – all of which are vital to Doncaster’s future.

The Mayor added that as part of the proposal, £900m of additional funding would be made available to the region over the next 30 years. In Doncaster it had already been demonstrated how funding of this magnitude could be utilised to facilitate job creation, house building and skills development. This was particularly evident in relation to the new Great Yorkshire Way, which was a great example of this.

Mayor Jones advised Members that as part of the negotiations Doncaster had fought hard to get a good deal for not only the Borough but also the wider region. In addition to the extra funding, Doncaster will work with government and seek to build on the National Rail College – which opens next year – and develop a new National Institute for Infrastructure, Construction and Engineering.

Members noted that as part of the agreement, Regional Devolution also requires an elected city region Mayor. The new Mayor would have a specific role and the arrangements would not take any existing powers away from Doncaster.  If ratified, the city region would elect its first mayor in May 2017.

The Mayor informed Council that all nine SCR local authorities would consider this decision individually at meetings of their Full Council. If agreed, the Combined Authority would look to ratify the deal later this month. In conclusion, the Mayor stated that she had thought long and hard about the ‘Devolution Deal’, and on balance, felt that this is the best offer available, and that ratification of the proposal was in Doncaster’s best long term interests. Mayor Ros Jones therefore recommended the proposal to Council.

Following presentation of the report and the proposals before them, Members of Council were afforded the opportunity to comment on the decision they were being asked to make. A number of comments were voiced in support of the proposal with widespread support voiced for the devolution agreement, with Councillors believing that this was in Doncaster’s best interest to endorse this.

Councillor John Mounsey, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, informed Council that this issue had been considered at a meeting of the Committee on 12 January, 2016. Councillor Mounsey commented that an exhaustive discussion had been held on this, with the Committee coming to the unanimous conclusion that the devolution agreement before them was in fact the best way forward for Doncaster. A wide range of issues had been covered during the debate at the Scrutiny meeting, and it was felt that this would positively benefit the people of Doncaster to move forward with this.

Councillor James Hart, Leader of the Conservative Group offered support for the devolution agreement, and urged the Mayor to represent the Council on Doncaster’s behalf, taking up all available opportunities offered to the area to achieve the best outcome for Doncaster.

Mayor Ros Jones thanked Council for its support, and added that it was a very important decision for Doncaster as the additional resources would go a long way in benefiting the people and the area.

RESOLVED that Council:-

(1)    note the work that has taken place since the proposal was put forward in October 2015 – in particular those matters detailed in Appendix B of the report;

(2)    take into account that an online consultation exercise took place from the 2 December, 2015 to 15 January, 2016, including the summary of the consultation detailed in Appendix C to the report;

(3)    endorse the devolution agreement set out in Appendix C to the report; and

(4)    delegate authority to the Chief Executive (in consultation with the Mayor) to consent to the enabling Orders required.