York and North Yorkshire get mayor in £540m devolution deal

York and North Yorkshire are to get a directly elected mayor as part of a £540m devolution package signed today. It is the first of 13 planned directly elected mayors set out in the government’s Levelling Up white paper published earlier this year. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the deal would “give the mayor more flexibility on key local priorities such as transport, affordable housing and bringing forward economic development sites”. In addition, the authority will be given more than £22.6m to support the building of new homes on brownfield land, deliver affordable homes and drive green economic growth across the region. The mayor will also be handed new powers to drive regeneration and build more affordable, and “more beautiful homes”, including compulsory purchase powers and the ability to establish Mayoral Development Corporations. The unveiling of the plan coincides with Yorkshire Day. Levelling up secretary Greg Clark said: “Yorkshire Day 2022 is an historic one. It marks the return of powers and resources from London to much of the historic North Riding.” To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews Image © Emphyrio/Pixabay