Sheffield Chamber comments on Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal

26th March 2019

Sheffield Chamber welcomed the news today that some progress has finally been made between the four South Yorkshire leaders on the stalled Devolution deal.

Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis and four local council leaders said they had "reached a consensus" which could allow the unlocking of funding and powers but would not prevent "wider Yorkshire devolution ambitions. Steve Manley, President of the Chamber and owner of Universal Office Products said: "Business has been waiting a long time for progress one way or another on this deal and it's good to see some at last. Hopefully it will unlock some of the funding we desperately need and put us in a strategically much stronger position in the devolution agenda." Richard Wright, Director of Sheffield Chamber, added: "This proposal will need the approval of Government because it is a variation on the original contract, and it only applies until 2022 so it only guarantees approximately three years of money. But it's a welcome step. I really hope this holds Sheffield city region together in its entirety because we have long argued it is the most logical economic entity based on travel to work patterns. It is our view that Chesterfield, Bassetlaw and Derbyshire Dales play an as important part to our economy as we do to theirs and we really do want to look at this as a long term partnership.