CALDERDALE is backing the West Yorkshire Devolution deal.

The council’s Cabinet agreed to submit a summary of consultation responses gathered earlier in the year throughout West Yorkshire to the Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, moving the deal closer to fruition.

It could mean the region’s people voting for an elected Mayor for the region next May.

The full Calderdale Council will also be able to have their say but Cabinet’s decision in this case will be binding.

With opposition group leaders joining Labour Cabinet councillors at the virtual meeting to add their comments, devolution received backing from almost all quarters.

Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town), said: “In my view a city regional deal is not all-singing, all-dancing devolution but it offers significant opportunities for more local control over decisions on major investments and access to funding.

Full Council to meet for first time since February to discuss devolution

“Those advantages mean it would be wrong of us not to go ahead with it, whatever other alternative we might like to see,” he said.

Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot), Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, said the deal meant not just money but also the ear of the Government.

Cabinet member Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge, Children and Young People’s Services)  said he hoped benefits would be spread fairly through the region, not just in Leeds, and it would be up to councillors to make Calderdale’s case, while Cabinet colleague Coun Sue Press (Lab, Todmorden, Public Services and Communities)  wanted to ensure it also looked east, citing her ward’s closeness to Greater Manchester.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Coun James Baker (Warley) said that when the money was actually broken down it would mean about £7m a year to Calderdale, which would not cover the funding lost to Calderdale in cuts over the last decade.

But he said he could understand why Cabinet had to support it, because it was the only deal on the table.

“My view is that it isn’t proper devolution and not a good thing for local government, so I can’t say it is a great deal.

“I’d love to see a proper devolution deal like in Wales or Scotland,” said Coun Baker.

Conservative Group Leader Coun Steven Leigh (Ryburn) said issues such as how Police and Crime Commissioner powers would devolve to the new Mayor, with a Deputy believed to be suggested for the role, needed to be watched but on the whole he supported the deal.

“It’s a good thing and however imperfect the deal as it stands, it is the only deal on the table and we would be missing a tremendous opportunity if we didn’t grasp it now,” he said.

His deputy, Coun Stephen Baines (Con, Northowram and Shelf), agreed.

“We will spend that money better and get much better value for money that if it was controlled by central government,” he said.

“I am behind what is happening, I think it is a good deal we got, certainly the best deal we could hope for, certainly on a parallel with other cities.”.