A MINISTER has suggested that Bradford Council may get a £25.6 million budget boost from the Government after an MP raised the issue.

Judith Cummins (Lab, Bradford South) said at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government questions: "Combined Authorities must receive fair funding. The Government has promised to level up across the country so can the Minister confirm today that funding for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in any new devolution deal will match any other Combined Authorities such as Greater Manchester on a per head basis?"

Luke Hall, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, replied: "I thank the colleague for her question. Negotiations are ongoing over this deal but we are optimist about the future. We can confirm that Bradford city council will receive an increase of £25.6 million in the settlement that’s a 6.4% real terms rise in core spending power on last year."

Mrs Cummins said: “With the Budget on the horizon, we urgently need the Government to agree new devolution deals so that regions like West Yorkshire receive their fair share of funding. For too long, the North has not received the investment our people deserve.”

Henri Murison, Director of Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Devolution in Leeds City Region is a stated government priority, and would be a critical step towards our challenge to secure Mayoral devolution across Yorkshire and a hundred per cent of the wider North, leaving open further steps in the future.

"The amount of funding involved will be critical to unlocking private sector investment, which with a locally controlled and more effective skills system, improved local transport and industrial strategy interventions across R & D, would create more better paying jobs than will be created otherwise.”