The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority received designation as an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority on 31 July 2026, becoming the first rural mayoral area in England to achieve this status.
The new designation grants the authority, led by Mayor David Skaith, access to further devolved powers, greater flexibility over funding and the ability to request additional powers from central government.
Eleven authorities 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.
To qualify, an authority must have a directly elected mayor for at least 18 months, a published Local Assurance Framework and a proven record of managing major programmes. The status is granted under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2026.
Mayor David Skaith 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. 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.”
City of York Council leader Councillor Claire Douglas noted that the authority has attracted funding since 2024 for schemes including affordable homes, jobs, highways and active travel. Investment 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 leader Councillor Carl Les added, “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 higher on the political agenda. More than a quarter of England’s population still lives outside a Mayoral Strategic Authority, and the group has urged the government to complete the devolution map by the end of this parliament.
In June, a statement was made that fiscal devolution was unfinished business, with consultations underway on devolving revenues from income, business and land taxes to local leaders.
