Agenda item

Sheffield City Region Devolution Proposals

It was moved by Councillor Brian Webster, seconded by Councillor Aodan Marken, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that the recent consultation on proposals for devolution of powers to the Sheffield City Region closed on January 15th;

(b)       notes that the consultation was only open for a period of roughly six weeks, that it was only late in this period that the consultation was publicised on the front page of the Council website, and does not believe this was sufficient to ensure a robust consultation providing the widest possible range of views from the people of the Sheffield City Region;

(c)        recalls that in a 2012 referendum the people of Sheffield voted decisively against the creation of the post of executive mayor for Sheffield City Council, and believes this shows strong strength of feeling across the city against centralising executive power in the hands of a single individual;

(d)       believes that while genuine devolution of powers to local authorities and cross-authority areas is an important objective in principle, the deal as proposed appears more concerned with seeking economic growth than with the genuine enhancement of local democracy;

(e)       therefore, calls upon the Administration to:-

(i)         return to negotiations with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make clear Sheffield City Council’s opposition to the imposition of a mayor;

(ii)        oppose, on behalf of the people of Sheffield, any devolution deal that includes as a prerequisite the creation of the post of Sheffield City Region Mayor; and

(iii)       work with local authority leaders from across the Sheffield City Region and across the North of England to secure a better deal for the people of Sheffield; and

(f)        directs that copies of this motion be forwarded to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to the leaders of each local authority in the Sheffield City Region.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Ian Auckland, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (e) and (f) and the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows:-

(e)         believes that this Administration, by signing the proposed devolution deal which contains the condition of a mayor, has weakened any powers of negotiation over the Sheffield City Region devolution deal that we may have held.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

It was then moved by Councillor Jack Scott, seconded by Councillor Geoff Smith, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-