THIS morning I had the first chance to interview new Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry.
Ahead of his first visit to Yorkshire in the role Mr Berry had made clear he was not in favour of a single devolution deal to allow the region to take more powers over its own affairs under a single elected mayor.
Instead, he maintained that the existing Sheffield City Region deal – covering Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield – should go-ahead complete with an election for a new metro mayor next year and other parts of Yorkshire should come forward with proposals.
Berry questions economic case for ‘One Yorkshire’ devolution
NORTHERN POWERHOUSE Minister Jake Berry has insisted the Government wants a “bottom-up” approach to devolution to Yorkshire as he ruled out the idea of a single region-wide settlement.
Mr Berry questioned the economic argument for a Yorkshire-wide deal and suggested the Government was particularly keen to reach an agreement involving Leeds. Yorkshire has struggled to agree deals with the Government to take over responsibilities in areas such as skills and transport as other parts of the country have pressed ahead and elected new metro-mayors to wield those powers.
Read more at: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/berry-questions-economic-case-for-one-yorkshire-devolution-1-8641538
Rotherham Politics 
I have never been “consulted” about any of this nonsense at any stage and can see no merit in any of the proposals whatsoever !
LikeLike
“The Government’s position is clear – Sheffield City Region must go-ahead in its current form ”
It’s a fait accompli, what you or one else thinks about it is irrelevant.
LikeLike