Mayors: East Yorkshire

(asked on 25th January 2024) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Hull and East Yorkshire devolution deal, published on 22 November 2023, what the maximum level is projected to be for the mayoral precept.


Answered by
Jacob Young Portrait
Jacob Young
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
This question was answered on 31st January 2024

Subject to consultation and parliamentary approval, the Hull East Yorkshire Level 3 Devolution Deal we have agreed with local leaders will bring with it a £400 million Mayoral Investment Fund over the next 30 years, and a significant transfer of powers from Westminster to Yorkshire.

The cost of an election, as with any local election, is borne locally by the authority. By ensuring the election is first past the post we have reduced potential costs. In addition, my department, as part of the deal will provide £2 million Mayoral Capacity Funding over the next three years, to support the establishment of the new mayoral combined authority (MCA).

A new mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire is able to charge a precept, but is not required to. For example the Mayor of Tees Valley, Ben Houchen, has chosen not to charge a precept. Any precept can be subject to the council tax referendum principles.

The costs associated with scrutiny and audit committees would be met by the new MCA. We believe such scrutiny is necessary to ensure value for money for the taxpayer, when devolving significant powers.

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