West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Last updated

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
West Yorkshire CA logo.svg
West Yorkshire UK locator map 2010.svg
West Yorkshire within England
Type
Type
Houses Unicameral
Term limits
None
History
Founded1 April 2014
Preceded by West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority
Leadership
Ben Still
since 2018 [1]
Structure
Seats11 members
West Yorkshire Combined Authority 2024.svg
Mayor committeesDistrict Engagement
Governance and Audit
Investment
Overview and Scrutiny
Transport
Elections
First past the post
Combined Authority voting system
Indirect election
Last Mayor election
 2 May 2024
Next Mayor election
4 May 2028
Meeting place
Wellington House, Leeds 9 April 2018 2.jpg
Wellington House, 40-50 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 2DE
Website
www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is the combined authority for West Yorkshire in England. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 on 1 April 2014. It is a strategic authority with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. The metro-mayor of the authority is Tracy Brabin.

Contents

History

The abolition of West Yorkshire County Council in 1986 left the county without a single authority covering the whole area, although some council functions including archive services and Trading Standards continued to be provided jointly, through West Yorkshire Joint Services, and the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and West Yorkshire Police continued to operate across the county.

Since April 2007 the Leeds City Region Partnership has evolved to coordinate activities across the Leeds City Region, which includes Barnsley in South Yorkshire, the City of York and three districts of North Yorkshire, as well as the whole of West Yorkshire. Strategic local governance decisions have been made by the joint committee of the Leeds City Region Leaders Board. [2] A multi-area agreement was established in 2008 and since 2011 economic development has been supported by the Leeds City Region LEP, which forms a business-led local enterprise partnership. [3]

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was proposed in 2012 as part of a "city deal". [4] [5] The combined authority covered only West Yorkshire, and not the other areas of the Leeds City Region. In order to create a combined authority the local authorities had to undertake a governance review and produce a scheme of their proposals. A consultation ran from November 2013 to January 2014 and the responses were published in February 2014. [6] The combined authority was established on 1 April 2014, following statutory approval on 31 March 2014. [7] [8]

In June 2017 plans for the combined authority to re-brand as the Leeds City Region Combined Authority were shelved, as Bradford councillor Simon Cooke said it would "piss a few people off". Peter Box, then leader of Wakefield Council, agreed with Simon Cooke's opinion. [9]

The combined authority originally did not have a mayor. [10] The constituent members of the WYCA supported a mayor covering all of Yorkshire, but the UK government refused this idea. [11] [12] The Mayor of West Yorkshire position was agreed in March 2020, the role's first election took place in May 2021. [13] [14] [15]

Membership

There are a total of ten members in addition to the mayor, with five members being appointed by the constituent councils, three additional members from constituent councils chosen to reflect political balance, one non-constituent council member, and one member nominated by the West Yorkshire Business Board. [16] [17] The mayor is a member of the Mayoral Council for England and the Council of the Nations and Regions.

NameMembershipPosition within nominating authorityNominating authority
Tracy Brabin Constituent Mayor of West Yorkshire West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Susan HinchcliffeConstituentLeader of the Council Bradford City Council
Jane ScullionConstituentLeader of the Council Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Carole PattinsonConstituentLeader of the Council Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council
James LewisConstituentLeader of the Council Leeds City Council
Denise JeffreyConstituentLeader of the Council Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Claire DouglasNon-constituentLeader of the Council City of York Council
Mandy RidyardNon-constituentChair (Business Advisor to the Mayor)West Yorkshire Business Board (formerly Leeds City Region LEP)
Martin LoveBalanceCouncillor Bradford City Council
Sue HoldsworthBalanceCouncillor Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Alan LambBalanceLeader of the Conservative Group Leeds City Council

Structure

The Combined Authority operates through three committees: the West Yorkshire and York Investment Committee, Transport Committee and Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Transport Committee replaced the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority. A Governance and Audit Committee also advises the authority in relation to financial management and governance. [18] Public transport policy is delivered through the Metro brand, which was previously the public facing identity of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.

Other roles

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority took over the responsibility of payment for the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers in 2015. [19]

Related Research Articles

The Core Cities Group is a self-selected and self-financed collaborative advocacy group of large regional cities in the United Kingdom outside Greater London and Edinburgh. The group was formed in 1995 and serves as a partnership of eleven city councils: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool City Region</span> Combined authority area in Northern England

The Liverpool City Region is a combined authority area in North West England. It has six council areas: the five metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside and the unitary authority of Halton in Cheshire. The region had a population of 1,571,045 in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds City Council</span> Local government body in England

Leeds City Council is the local authority of the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Leeds has had a council since 1626, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 it has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the majority local government services in the city. It is the second most populous local government district in the United Kingdom with approximately 800,000 inhabitants living within its area; only Birmingham City Council has more. Since 1 April 2014, it has been a constituent council of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Directly elected mayors in England</span> Executive leaders of local government

Local authority areas in England typically have an executive leader and a cabinet selected from the local council, similar to how the national prime minister and cabinet are selected from Parliament. In contrast, residents of some areas, or groups of areas known as combined authorities or combined county authorities, directly elect the executive mayors of their local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds City Region</span> City region and Local enterprise partnership in England

The Leeds City Region, or informally Greater Leeds, is a local enterprise partnership city region located in West Yorkshire, England. Prior to the West Yorkshire devolution deal, the partnership covered parts of South and North Yorkshire. According to the Office for National Statistics, as of 2017 the city region ranked 2nd behind Greater London for both population and GVA in the United Kingdom. It has a population of 2,320,214 million and a GVA of £69.62 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combined authorities and combined county authorities</span> Type of local government institution in England

A combined authority (CA) is a type of local government institution introduced in England outside Greater London by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. CAs are created voluntarily and allow a group of local authorities to pool appropriate responsibility and receive certain devolved functions from central government in order to deliver transport and economic policy more effectively over a wider area. In areas where local government is two-tier, both must participate in the combined authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Manchester Combined Authority</span> Local government body in North West England

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is a combined authority for Greater Manchester, England. It was established on 1 April 2011 and consists of 11 members: 10 indirectly elected members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the ten metropolitan boroughs that comprise Greater Manchester, together with the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester. The authority derives most of its powers from the Local Government Act 2000 and Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, and replaced a range of single-purpose joint boards and quangos to provide a formal administrative authority for Greater Manchester for the first time since the abolition of Greater Manchester County Council in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool City Region Combined Authority</span> Local government body for the Liverpool City Region

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), officially the Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority, is the combined authority of the Liverpool City Region in England. Its area includes the City of Liverpool local authority area, the Metropolitan Boroughs of Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, and Wirral, and the Borough of Halton. It was established on 1 April 2014 by statutory instrument under the provisions of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. Composition of the combined authority is made up of the leaders of the six principal membership authorities, plus several non-voting members with various vested interests in the activities of the combined authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority</span> Local government body for South Yorkshire, England

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is the combined authority for South Yorkshire in England, with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. It covers a total area of 3,484 km2 (1,345 sq mi) with a population of 1.8 million. The four metropolitan boroughs of South Yorkshire – Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley – are full members of the authority, while the Derbyshire Dales, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and Bolsover districts of Derbyshire, and the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, are non-constituent members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Greater Manchester</span> Political official in Greater Manchester

The Mayor of Greater Manchester is the directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester, responsible for strategic governance in the region that includes health, transport, housing, strategic planning, waste management, policing, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and skills. The creation of the Mayor of Greater Manchester was agreed between the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and Greater Manchester's 10 district council leaders. As well as having specific powers, the mayor chairs the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, also assuming the powers of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that allows for the introduction of directly elected mayors to combined authorities in England and Wales and the devolution of housing, transport, planning and policing powers to them. The bill was introduced to the House of Lords by Baroness Williams of Trafford, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on 28 May 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands Combined Authority</span> Combined authority in the United Kingdom

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is the combined authority for the West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. It is a strategic authority with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. The authority formally came into being on 17 June 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West of England Combined Authority</span> Local government body for the West of England

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is a combined authority within the West of England area, consisting of the local authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset. The body has its headquarters in the Redcliffe area of Bristol, and is led by the Mayor of the West of England. The most recent election for this post took place on 6 May 2021, when the Labour candidate Dan Norris was elected on a turnout of 36%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of the Liverpool City Region</span> Mayoral post in England

The Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, is the directly elected mayor of the Liverpool City Region, who is responsible for regional governance over a number of issues, the Mayor has powers devolved to them from the Central Government, as well as this the mayor chairs the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of South Yorkshire</span> British government office

The Mayor of South Yorkshire is a combined authority mayor, first elected in May 2018, who chairs the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. The office is currently held by Oliver Coppard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of West Yorkshire</span> Directly elected mayor in England

The Mayor of West Yorkshire is a directly elected mayor responsible for the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire in England. The Mayor chairs and leads the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and assumes the office and powers of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 West Yorkshire mayoral election</span>

The inaugural West Yorkshire mayoral election was held on Thursday 6 May 2021 to elect the Mayor of West Yorkshire. It took place simultaneously on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom, including council elections in each of the five metropolitan boroughs of West Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election</span> 2022 local election in England

The 2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect the Mayor of South Yorkshire, the leader of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. It took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. The Labour and Co-operative Party candidate, Oliver Coppard, won the election in the second round with 71.4% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of York and North Yorkshire</span> Elected mayor in England

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is the mayor of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority covering the City of York and North Yorkshire unitary authority areas and was elected for the first time in May 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority</span> Proposed local government authority in England

The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA) is the proposed combined authority for the city of Hull and county of East Yorkshire, in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. The first election for the Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, who will chair HEYCA, is expected to take place in May 2025.

References

  1. ↑ "Ben Still announced as West Yorkshire Combined Authority's new Managing Director". West Yorkshire Combined Authority. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Leaders Board: Introduction". Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  3. ↑ "About Us: Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)". Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Proposal: A Leeds City Region Deal" (PDF). July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Six biggest English cities get extra powers". BBC News. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Summary of responses to consultations on proposals to establish the Combined Authorities" (PDF). Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Scheme for the Establishment of a Combined Authority for West Yorkshire" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "The West Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2014" (PDF). Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  9. ↑ Beever, Susie (30 June 2017). "Supercouncil shelve Leeds City Region rebranding - because it would 'p*** people off'". huddersfieldexaminer. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  10. ↑ Crowe, Brian (12 February 2019). "What impact have the Metro Mayors had around the UK? | Business Leader News". Business Leader . Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  11. ↑ Bounds, Andy (15 January 2020). "Councils sign up to South Yorkshire devolution". Financial Times . Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. ↑ Parsons, Rob (30 September 2019). "Devolution deal for West Yorkshire could be signed in weeks after 'constructive' talks with government". Yorkshire Post . Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "West Yorkshire £1.8bn devolution deal agreed". BBC News. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  14. ↑ Westwood, Andy (12 March 2020). "Why Government plans to level up pose a challenge for metro mayor candidates". Centre for Cities . Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  15. ↑ Parsons, Rob (13 March 2020). "West Yorkshire metro mayor can ask council tax payers to help fund key projects". Yorkshire Evening Post . JPI Media . Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "Article 3 - Membership of the Combined Authority" (PDF). West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Committee Details". West Yorkshire Combined Authority. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  18. ↑ "Untitled Page". westyorks-ca.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  19. ↑ "Facilities for Apprenticeship Grant for Employers: Financial Year 2015 to 2016" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Skills Funding Agency. March 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.