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Stalled Sheffield devolution to move forward with public consultation

The major devolution deal set for the Sheffield City Region (SCR) should move forward by undertaking a public consultation to be launched next week, it has been argued.

Releasing its delayed update on the deal, the combined authority (CA) said that a consultation should be launched on 20 September and last for six weeks until 31 October, targeted at its constituent members in the South Yorkshire footprint.

Following this, responses must be compiled and presented to a full council meeting on 22 November, where the authority will consider the best option forward for delivering the deal.

In the SCR board papers outlining the next steps for the deal, a number of options were set out for the region to consider when going forward with pursing the deal.

One option mooted, and the board’s preferred one due to tight timescales, is to hold a mayoral election in 2018 as per government plans, which would give the city region access to its gainshare payment in January. It is the only option where functions and powers would be in place for the May election – which has already been consented to by the CA’s constituent councils.

But another option suggested deferring the election to May 2020 and have an interim mayor put in place from May 2018, which would see funding given to the city region by March next year at the earliest.

“Given this context, and in the absence of agreement on an alternative option, it is recommended that the CA proceeds with additional public consultation on a modified scheme for a South Yorkshire-only mayoral combined authority,” the papers read.

“This will put in place the powers and functions order before the May 2018 mayoral elections.”

The much-delayed deal has seen a number of obstacles put in its way since it was agreed with the DCLG back in 2015. In June, two lower tier councils decided to pull out of the deal.

And in August, a spanner was thrown in the works as a group of 17 councils across Yorkshire committed to pushing for a separate deal for the entirety of Yorkshire, something which the DCLG has said will only be considered after the original SCR deal is struck.

The papers also said that failure to finalise the South Yorkshire deal would mean that the region would not see significant financial benefits.

“It should be noted that before the CA can access the £900m gainshare investment funding the SCR must update its Assurance Framework, in accordance with the national guidance. In addition, the constituent member authorities and CA must all consent to the powers order for the mayoral combined authority,” the papers explained.

“Should the CA not progress its deal or consent to this powers order it will not gain access to most of this funding.”

Top Image: SAKhanPhotography

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