West Yorkshire Devolution

Published: 04 June 2020

Leaders of the five West Yorkshire councils have secured an ambitious devolution deal with Government, which will see an historic transfer of powers and investment from Whitehall to our region. It will give local control of at least £1.8 billion of funding to be spent on the things that matter to the people of West Yorkshire. The deal means decisions across key areas, such as better transport, skills, the economy, housing and regeneration will be taken in West Yorkshire by people who know and understand the region, bringing benefits for rural and urban communities and improvements to people’s quality of life.

It will also mean a directly-elected mayor for West Yorkshire with elections being held in May 2021.

The deal includes: 

• £38 million per year for 30 years into the West Yorkshire Investment Fund with significant freedoms to spend on local priorities 
• a Government commitment to work with West Yorkshire to develop a modern mass transit system through access to a new five-year integrated transport settlement – a share of a £4.2 billion fund for mayoral combined authorities 
• £317 million to invest in public transport, cycling and walking through the Transforming Cities Fund with local flexibility on delivery 
• a £25 million fund to support the development of a British Library North in Leeds 
• a Government commitment to deliver flooding schemes worth £101 million 
• control of the £63 million annual Adult Education Budget for West Yorkshire 
• £3.2 million to support the development of a pipeline of housing sites across West Yorkshire 
• £200,000 Government funding for collaboration at a Yorkshire-level through the Yorkshire Leaders Board

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