From a joint bit to separate bids. What a **** up. THE region's two councils have gone their separate ways in a late U-turn over devolution. For the past two months, Hull City Council and East Riding Council had been jointly lobbying for a combined authority covering the whole of Yorkshire. They saw the move to unite all 22 councils in Yorkshire as the best way of boosting the wider area through securing new devolved powers from the Government. But earlier this week, a breakaway cluster of councils submitted their own bid under the Leeds city-region banner. And yesterday Hull and the East Riding went off in different directions as the deadline closed for formal submissions to Whitehall. Hull maintained its support for the concept of a Greater Yorkshire but revealed an alternative option of becoming a full member of the Leeds-city region group. In contrast, East Riding Council teamed up with North Yorkshire Council and the City of York to submit a joint bid of their own based on the same area covered by an existing Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). City council leader Steve Brady said: "I firmly believe the greatest opportunities our city and region have are at a Greater Yorkshire scale and that Hull can only realise the full benefits of devolution as a part of a much larger Greater Yorkshire combined authority or, at the very least, as a full member of the Leeds city region combined authority." North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said: "While our first preference is for devolution to a wider Yorkshire footprint, we appreciate that this may not happen if other authorities do not agree and this LEP-based bid is an excellent one that will deliver prosperity and growth." East Riding leader Steve Parnaby was unavailable for comment. What next? An 11th hour split between Hull and East Riding over devolution has left more questions than answers. The latter's link-up with the City of York and North Yorkshire Council means Hull is now isolated with the South Bank councils part of a Greater Lincolnshire bid. Hull could end up as part of the Leeds city-region but only if ministers give the idea the go-ahead.
York already aligns with the West Yorkshire/Leeds City Region cluster on a number of strategic matters, such as transport, it probably can make sense for Hull to do the same. The devolution agenda is based on Greater Manchester and works for areas like GM - fairly continuous urban areas. It doesn't work so well for rural areas, or isolated urban areas. Not sure what devolution would deliver for Hull anyway, has anything been published about their "asks"?
That may well prove to be correct. The choice is then between unequal partnership, or splendid isolation. Big risk to take, that last one.
The 1st thing that needs to happen is Brady removed has head of the council Hes a dreadful figurehead and he can take Fudge with him. He was awful on Look North on Wed night. Levy made him look a twat. He was calling other Yorkshire councils iffy.
ERYC have always seen themselves as having more in common with NYCC, Parnaby sees the ties with York making sense due to the similarities between York & Beverley as well as both NYCC & ERYC having large rural populations
People from those places do tend to shop in York or Selby though...both NYCC.....loads of kids from Goole go to Selby college
