Council leaders have secured and signed an historic £1.8 billion devolution deal unlocking decades of investment for West Yorkshire (pictured). The ambitious deal described by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as “a model for the rest of the country”, will generate jobs and economic growth and see powers and decision making move from Whitehall to West Yorkshire. This will help us to ensure a vibrant future for towns and rural areas while securing the economic success of our cities.
The deal is the biggest of its kind and will improve living standards in communities across the whole of Bradford District and West Yorkshire through better transport, improved skills and stronger businesses while tackling the climate emergency. West Yorkshire will have more decision making powers to set its own priorities than any other devolved authorities in England except London and Greater Manchester and the deal will see us at the front of the queue for future powers and funding.
Key features of the West Yorkshire devolution deal include:
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West Yorkshire Investment Fund. Extra funding of £38m per year for 30 years to invest in infrastructure, skills and increasing prosperity.
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Mass Transit. Government commitment to work with West Yorkshire to develop a modern, low carbon, mass transit system.
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Transforming Cities Fund £317m to dramatically improve access to public transport, cycling and walking
- Access to bus franchising powers giving more local control over bus services.
- Access to the Government’s new Brownfield Regeneration Fund to support housing growth and £3.2m to support the development of a pipeline of housing sites across West Yorkshire.
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Adult education. Control of the £63m annual budget for West Yorkshire to make sure spending on skills is more closely aligned to the opportunities and needs in the local economy.
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Elected Mayor. The creation of a West Yorkshire Mayor to be elected in May 2021 with a commitment to work towards policing and crime powers to be transferred to the Mayor in 2024.
Everywhere in Bradford District will benefit. Specific projects identified in the deal include:
- £500,000 of Government funding to support master planning in Bradford City Centre to maximise regeneration opportunities from Northern Powerhouse Rail – a city centre high speed stop would add up to £15bn to the Northern economy
- A package of measures to transform Bradford City Centre through pedestrianisation, new cycle infrastructure and better access to Bradford Interchange
- A new park-and-ride for South Bradford providing alternative access to the city centre and key employment sites
West Yorkshire’s cities and towns have a strong track record of successfully working together to benefit all communities.
Since securing a City Deal for Leeds City Region (LCR) in 2012 and a £1bn Growth Deal in July 2014, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership have made a strong start:
- Attracting almost £3 billion public and private sector investment to boost growth and jobs
- Set to create 20,600 jobs and add £2.1 billion a year to the economy by 2031
- £1 billion package of transport investment to upgrade transport links
- helping 4,800 businesses to grow since 2011, unlocking close to half a billion pounds of private sector investment
- creating over 4,300 work opportunities for young people aged 16-24, including 2,000 apprenticeships
- adding an expected £1.4 billion to the economy by 2020 as a result of work over the past four years.
Additionally our achievements include:
- Additional 2,000 park and ride spaces at 14 West Yorkshire rail stations including Steeton and Silsden
- Rail stations at Apperley Bridge, Kirkstall Forge and Low Moor
- £60 million investment in cycling and walking schemes including Bradford- Leeds cycle superhighway and Bradford’s Canal Road Greenway
- £250,000 investment in the Northern Dental Education Centre (NORDEC) at Bradford College
- Support to pave the way for Bradford’s One City Park grade A office development
- Major improvement works on Keighley’s Hard Ings Road
- Financial support for Bradford Live
- £79 million investment in new and refurbished college facilities including Shipley College
- £45 million from the Growth Deal into creating 10 Enterprise Zone sites including Gain Lane, Bradford.
The LCR Climate Coalition of which Bradford is a leading member is working collaboratively to achieve its shared goal of a net zero carbon region by 2038 with significant reductions by 2030.
With devolution we can do even more to unleash West Yorkshire and Bradford District’s full potential and raise living standards for our communities while making a full contribution to the UK economy.
As part of the devolution deal the people of West Yorkshire will elect a mayor in May 2021 for a three-year term up to 2024. After that mayors will be elected for four years. The mayor will lead WYCA as its Chair and have a close working relationship with the Government. They will act as an advocate and ambassador for West Yorkshire and have specific powers over transport and the ability to raise extra funds through a precept on Council tax. They can also charge a business rate supplement subject to a ballot. It is expected that the Mayor will assume powers currently exercised by the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2024.
West Yorkshire’s councils will continue to be represented on WYCA and the Mayor will be the only additional political representative.
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£55.4 bn economy – bigger than 9 EU countries
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3 million people
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1 million workforce
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90,000 businesses
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7 universities, 91,000 students and 30,000 graduates
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7 million people within an hour’s drive.
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