South Yorkshire to get devolution deal

A devolution deal for South Yorkshire is set to be agreed by central government which will see an extra £30m injected into the region. The deal will be put before parliament today and is set to be approved in the coming weeks. This will unlock £30m of extra funding for the region over the next 30 years, devolve transport powers and funding, and increase planning capacity and powers. Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis said the expected approval of the deal would be a “landmark moment” for the region. He said: “The deal comes at a crucial time, as we look to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. I am working alongside the leaders of our local authorities, and in partnership with our businesses, universities, colleges and central government, to secure new investment and put us on the road to a stronger, fairer future for South Yorkshire. “Devolution does not stop at city region level. This is the start of our devolution journey, and working together across the wider region is going to be even more important than ever before.” The region’s devolution journey has not been smooth so far. In 2015, then-chancellor George Osborne signed a deal to create the Sheffield City Region, but in 2017, Doncaster and Barnsley decided to vote against a devolution plan for the region which they had previously agreed to three times.   To send feedback, e-mail lucy.alderson@egi.co.uk or tweet @LucyAJourno or @estatesgazette