WEST Yorkshire's mayor said she would continue to push for more funding for the region as she marked her first year in office.

Tracy Brabin said her initial 12 months in the role had included major disappointments as well as successes.

The post of elected mayor was created as part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal, and the position includes powers over local spending on transport and infrastructure schemes, adult skills, crime and policing and climate policies.

Ms Brabin pointed to the successes of her first year, including the creation of 500 'green' jobs for young people, securing £200 million for a West Yorkshire mass transit system and committing a £40m fund to tackle the climate emergency.

But the year has also seen some lows – most notably news that the Government would be scrapping much of its planned Northern Powerhouse rail line, including a stop in Bradford.

And a bid to Government for cash to improve West Yorkshire’s bus services fell massively short. Out of the £168 million Ms Brabin bid for, the Government announced it was supplying just £70 million.

In a statement to mark her first year in office, Ms Brabin pointed out she had launched an enhanced partnership with bus operators to lower fares and improve services, delivered a new Police and Crime Plan with a focus on women's and girls' safety, and expanded the number of low earners eligible for free training via a devolved adult education budget.

The mayor’s Safer Communities Fund has invested over £208,000 into community safety initiatives across the region. It is financed by money recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act within West Yorkshire and offers grants to a range of groups and projects.

Ms Brabin said: “On this first anniversary of my election, I would like to thank everyone who placed their trust in me. I have never taken this support for granted and never will.

“In the past year, I am grateful to all the partners from the public, private and community sectors who are helping to deliver on the pledges I set out which will make our region an even better place in which to live and work.

"We have begun to radically overhaul West Yorkshire’s transport networks and are focused on the £900 million of transport funding we’ve secured to improve bus services and cycle routes and make further progress on delivering a mass transit system."