York and North Yorkshire gains established mayoral status

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has been designated an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority, with confirmation received on Friday 31 July 2026, making it the first rural mayoral area in England to hold the status.

The designation gives the Combined Authority, led by Mayor David Skaith, access to further devolved powers, increased flexibility over funding and the ability to request additional powers from government, the authority said.

Eleven areas now hold Established Mayoral Strategic Authority status, including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, South Yorkshire, the North East, West Yorkshire, the East Midlands and the West of England.

Under criteria published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, authorities seeking the designation must have had a directly elected mayor in place for at least 18 months, hold a published Local Assurance Framework and submit evidence of a track record of managing major programmes. The status is provided for by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2026.

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority formed in February 2024. The authority said the designation reflects growing confidence from government in its ability to deliver change for the region.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “This is a major milestone and clear evidence of the progress we’ve made as a county and a Combined Authority in a short space of time.

“Now, with Established Status, we will have access to greater powers and funding, allowing us to go even further and faster to address some of the structural challenges holding our county back.

“This will help us fully realise the benefits of devolution and ensure decisions about our county are made by our county, for our county, and in our county by those who know it best.”

Councillor Claire Douglas, leader of City of York Council, said the Combined Authority had attracted funding since 2024 for schemes including affordable homes, jobs, highways and active travel. Investment in the region has included allocations from a £7 million net zero fund agreed as part of the area’s devolution deal.

“Working collectively, we will be able to unlock significantly more funding to drive economic growth, develop more affordable homes, and better connect the city and neighbouring places with sustainable and accessible transport,” she said.

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Councillor Carl Les, said: “Established Status is a recognition of all the hard work that has been done and will be vital in driving economic growth to improve lives and opportunities for our residents and businesses across the county.”

The designation comes as devolution moves up the political agenda. More than a quarter of England’s population still lives outside a Mayoral Strategic Authority, according to think tank IPPR North, which has urged the government to complete the devolution map by the end of this parliament.

In June, Rachel Reeves told the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference that fiscal devolution was her “unfinished business”, with consultations under way on devolving revenues from income, business and land taxes to local leaders.

Jamie Young

Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the ‘covid era’ and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine’s coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk