Yorkshire's devolution is 'powering on', Minister claims

Brigg and Goole MP Mr Percy was appointed to become Northern Powerhouse minister in July by Theresa May and said no-one is better placed than him to ensure devolution comes to all parts of Yorkshire, being a local MP with the region close to his heart.

So far Sheffield City Region has an agreement with the Treasury to take the reins of a £30m spending deal for the next 30 years, while the rest of Yorkshire remains at a frustrating stalemate.

In the last piece of a five-part special, Mr Percy exclusively tells the Yorkshire Post his plans for the future.

The Conservative politician said: “The North is leading the way in the devolution revolution with five historic devolution deals already agreed by the Government and local leaders to shift power out of Whitehall.

“The next step is then about selling the strengths of the Northern Powerhouse to encourage investment and tourism to the region.

“Step by step we are making the Northern Powerhouse a reality.

“As Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, and a proud Yorkshireman, I will ensure our voice is heard loud and clear in the corridors of Whitehall.”

He was a Hull City Councillor for a decade and elected to his Brigg and Goole seat in 2010, taking over from James Wharton as Northern Powerhouse Minister in July.

However those after a speedy resolution to Yorkshire’s deadlock between West Yorkshire councils and those after a Greater Yorkshire model may not find his words reassuring.

He sees devolution as a long term process, that may take years and despite the political impasse between local authority leaders in North, West and East Yorkshire and Hull councils, he is not about to intervene.

He said: “We have been repeatedly clear that devolution must be a bottom up process and won’t be rushed. It’s natural that deals progress at different speeds because what’s right for one area will not necessarily be what works best somewhere else.

“There isn’t just one benchmark of success – this is about faster growth, more good jobs, boosting investment here and improving public services and people’s quality of life. This is a big change to the balance of our economy and it’s not going to be an overnight process. I think people will judge a project of this scale in years, not months, but progress is very much under way and visible.”

There have been concern that Theresa May was shying away from the Northern Powerhouse rhetoric, as it was a policy led by former Chancellor George Osborne. She also recently gave a speech saying she was extending the notion of a “powerhouse” to all parts of the UK without giving a concrete focus on the North.

Writing in the Yorkshire Post yesterday however, she said the concept of giving the North a boost by letting local leaders on more spending controls was very much alive and well.

Mr Percy said: “As the Prime Minister’s made clear in your pages, the Northern Powerhouse is a concept which is very much powering forward. But as has always been the case for the Government it is part of our wider efforts to ensure every part of the country benefits from economic growth.

“The fact that she has appointed me as a dedicated Northern Powerhouse Minister shows that continued commitment, but it’s by working up and down the country – as well as in the North – that we’ll deliver an economy that works for everyone.”

Sheffield City Region is furthest along the devolution path with a plan to have a directly elected mayor in 2017. However the only candidates announced for mayors in Liverpool and Greater Manchester are male.

Mr Percy said: “This Government is wholeheartedly supportive of diverse leadership at all levels in both public and private sectors...

“Of course I’d encourage everyone with an interest in their community, whatever their background, to consider how they can get involved.”