Devolution is a term that is often bandied about in the news by government ministers and local councillors. Though it is common for people to be aware that governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have devolved powers to set their own rules and regulations (this has been particularly prominent during the pandemic with the different nations easing restrictions at different times), many people don’t know what devolution means for them or realise how important it is in their daily lives.
The official definition of devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralisation. Devolved territories have the power to make legislation relevant to the area, thus granting them a higher level of autonomy.
But what does that really mean?
It means that for certain areas such as higher education, employment, transport, the environment etc. decisions will be made by a mayor who has been elected to represent your area, rather than central government (however, the powers each area has will vary depending on their devolution agreement). This should mean that decisions are made with local issues in mind rather than the priorities of Westminster.
Currently there are 10 combined authorities including London, Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region. In Yorkshire, there are two devolution agreements – West Yorkshire Combined Authority, who elected Tracey Brabin as mayor in May 2021, and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. It is hoped that deals will soon be agreed for North Yorkshire and the East Riding.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is made up of Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, and Sheffield. It elected its first mayor, Dan Jarvis MP, in May 2018 who currently has powers in travel and the environment, higher education and post-16 education, employment and skills and Covid-19 recovery.
The mayor and his team work on these issues to help improve the region with notable achievements including a review of bus services in South Yorkshire, appointing Dame Sarah Storey as the Active Travel Commissioner, and establishing a Youth Combined Authority (YCA), which was co-created with young people.
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s YCA is made up of young people from across the region including representatives from both Sheffield’s universities. They scrutinise the mayor’s work and make sure that young people are at the forefront of decision making.
The active pursuit by the YCA for better public transport for young people in the region has led to the introduction of the Zoom Beyond Pass. Zoom Beyond is a new travel pass for 18–21-year-olds, who live, work or study in the region. It gives them a concessionary fare of 80p on buses and trams across the region. The pass is currently a one-year trial but if successful could continue beyond 2022. Apply for your Zoom Beyond here: https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-gb/ticketsandpasses/18-21-pass
So, if you had any doubts about what devolution was, its benefits and what it meant for you, hopefully this explains it.
