A NEW ‘assumption’ in favour of devolving powers to elected mayors should be established to give them the resources they need to make a difference.

That’s one of the proposals in a new report published by the region’s think tank organisation Policy Yorkshire, which examines ways of strengthening the county’s voice in Westminster.

The report adds that mayors should have the authority to raise and spend the money that’s required in the policy areas they’re responsible for – rather than relying on Whitehall.

Publication of the document follows a ‘webinar’ staged by Policy Yorkshire last year, at which speakers included the former Government Communities Secretary – and one-time Worth Valley councillor – Lord Eric Pickles.

He was joined by Lord Kerslake, former head of the civil service and Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Also contained in the report is a call for a campaign to raise awareness of – and support for – the concept of directly-elected mayors, where they already exist or are planned in the region.

Last year, a poll carried out in Yorkshire and Humberside found that just 27 cent of people supported the concept. And where mayors already existed, 31 per cent of respondents felt the post should be abolished.

West Yorkshire is due to elect a mayor in May.

Matthew Howarth, chairman of Policy Yorkshire, welcomed the contribution of the former senior figures from Whitehall’s local government department.

“The insight and advice provided by them should be very valuable to all those involved with planning devolution in Yorkshire,” he said.

“The recommendations in our report come from them, local council and business leaders and others who took part in the webinar. We hope the report provides some useful guidance to ensure that Yorkshire’s devolved structures are both effective and – very importantly – understood and supported by local people.”

He said the document also stressed it was vital elected mayors had parity regarding powers held, warning: “The danger is without this it will be difficult to ensure the kind of collaboration crucial to the region’s success.”