Concerns that a proposed mayoral combined authority for North Yorkshire and York would dilute democracy have been dismissed by senior members of the county council.
The plan would see some powers and funding devolved from Westminster to the new authority, with decisions being made by two members from the county council and two from the city of York council, alongside an elected mayor.
Speaking earlier this month, County Council leader Carl Les said he is backing the plan
A public consultation has been launched on plans to create an elected mayor for the area, who would have control over a number of policy areas and funding devolved from Westminster.
Deputy County Council Leader - Councillor Gareth Dadd - told a meeting of the executive earlier this month that the move would be positive.
Concerns were initially raised by the county’s borough and district councils over residents’ representation ahead of proposals for a single unitary authority being agreed.
Recent weeks have seen opposition members repeatedly highlight how proposals to create a new tier of local government in a mayoral combined authority for North Yorkshire and York include plans to have two decision-making members from the county and two from the city, alongside an elected mayor.
The proposals being consulted on this autumn would make the county, with a population of more than 600,000, and York, which has more than 200,000 residents, equally represented on the mayoral combined authority.
Speaking ahead of a public consultation over the proposed devolution deal as part of the changes, a number of councillors have stated the overhaul would erode residents’ ability to shape key decisions.
Earlier this month Independent councillor John McCartney said many residents engaged in local democracy felt “irked and discombobulated” as their local councils were being swapped for a remote one in what he described as “a power grab” by County Hall in Northallerton.
However, it is understood senior North Yorkshire figures are comfortable with the disparity in representation as they are keen to foster a partnership with their York counterparts, and believe a fair balance will be struck by the elected mayor.
Councillor David Chance thinks there is a level of misunderstanding about where the Mayor's powers and money would come from.
Executive member for climate change and customer engagement Councillor Greg White added while the extra funding and greater discretion over the spending of public money from devolution in North Yorkshire and York was to be welcomed, the real prize would be in having an elected mayor who could deal directly with government.
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