The government has announced a new plan to increase devolution in South Yorkshire and other regions across England.

The proposal for ‘Level 4 devolution’ will give regional leaders more power over areas such as housing funding, adult skills, transport, infrastructure and funding for research and development.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said in a press release: “That new deal will allow us to take back more control over how we spend money on things like transport and housing, and puts us at the forefront of the next wave of devolution deals.

“But my ambition is for South Yorkshire to go further and faster.

“Today’s announcement lays the groundwork for a full single settlement funding deal in the future, as well as business rate retention, so that we can have greater freedoms and flexibilities to invest in projects that we know will make the biggest impact across our whole region.”

The deal also includes the merging of police and crime commissioner (PCC) functions to Metro Mayors where boundaries align, like is already planned to occur in South Yorkshire this May.

This came on the last day of the Convention of the North, where northern mayors met with local business leaders to discuss further ways for economic development of the region.

In a joint statement from the Conference, Coppard, alongside fellow mayors Tracy Brabin, Andy Burnham, Steve Rotherham and Jamie Driscoll, said: “Our manifesto for the North will buck the trend of vested interests and a Whitehall-knows-best approach.

“Devolution is the green shoot of hope. Gone are the days of cap-in-hand or pork-barrel politics. We will no longer accept the status quo of pitching areas of deprivation against one another.

“This can be a new dawn for British politics.”

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove wrote to the Mayors of South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and Liverpool City Region on 1st March to confirm these regions are eligible for Level 4 devolution.

In his letter to Mayor Coppard, Gove said: “I recognise your ambitions for further devolution to South Yorkshire.

“I am clear that this does not mark the end for deepening devolution and I look forward to continuing to discuss this with you and fellow mayors.”

According to the government website, Level 4 devolution means: “deeper devolution for an established single institution or county council with a directly elected leader (DEL) in post who can meet specific eligibility and accountability criteria.”

The mayors must report back to the Levelling Up Secretary on the progress of implementing the deal by 1 March 2025.