DEADLOCKED devolution talks look to have taken a major step forward, following the announcement that a government minister wants to meet West Yorkshire leaders to discuss a future deal.

It follows revelations from Leader of Leeds City Council that new communities secretary James Brokenshire was yet to meet with the 18 Yorkshire council leaders who agreed they wanted to pursue a so-called One Yorkshire deal.

A response from Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry claimed the plans would take time to analyse, and that leaders in North Yorkshire had already been invited to talks around devolution.

Following this, a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (WYCA) overview and scrutiny committee heard that Mr Berry’s office has now invited West Yorkshire leaders to meet with the department to discuss future devolution.

WYCA officer James Flanagan told the meeting: “I can now update members to confirm also that West Yorkshire leaders have now been contacted via Jake Berry’s office to put in place a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss devolution in Yorkshire.”

Chairing the meeting, Kirklees councillor Robert Light (Con), said: “It looks like we are inching forward.”