North Yorkshire Devolution: Major consultation seeks views of Scarborough residents on future of borough's governance

From April 2023, Scarborough Council will cease to exist when a new North Yorkshire Council will replace borough councils in the region, and members of the public have been invited to give their views on the upcoming changes.

Plans for devolution will see the election of a mayor for the entire county, alongside plans for increased decision-making and greater investment on a regional level in North Yorkshire.

However, concerns about the future of local representation have been raised, as well as the funding that will be allocated to towns such as Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

Some borough councillors have suggested that the current deal does not reach its full potential, while the continued existence of the councils representing the City of York and North Yorkshire have been highlighted as potential issues regarding fair representation.

The major consultation which was launched on Friday October 21 is seeking feedback from residents, community groups and businesses as well as academic institutions, charities and voluntary organisations.

The consultation will be open until December 16 and asks respondents about several issues ranging from the role and power of the mayor, financial functions, transport, to fighting climate change.

According to North Yorkshire County Council, the draft devolution deal offers millions of pounds in funding to provide better roads and public transport, improved education and job opportunities, and boosted economic growth.

It also seeks to place North Yorkshire at the forefront of the green energy sector to tackle climate change.

Although £540m of investment has been promised for North Yorkshire as part of the devolution deal, some Scarborough councillors have expressed disappointment at the amount that has been pledged by the Government.

Speaking at a meeting of Scarborough Council on September 5, Cllr Carl Maw said: “The main problem we have with it is that some of the proposed funding is not particularly adequate – £540m over 30 years is about £18m a year and with a population of around 900,000 in York and North Yorkshire, it equates to about £20 a head per year.”

However, the leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Carl Les recently said: “This is about creating a brighter and more prosperous future for us all, and I would urge the vitally important business sector in North Yorkshire to come forward in particular, as business owners and entrepreneurs will be key in shaping the economy with the benefits of devolution.”

The consultation can be accessed online here and it is also possible to take part by filling in a physical copy of the questionnaire.