YORK’S council leader has called for a Royal Commission to decide how Yorkshire should take control of its own affairs, using Scottish and Welsh devolution as an example.

Coun James Alexander, who leads City of York Council, said this would end the debate over the powers Yorkshire local authorities should have, as the Communities and Local Government Select Committee looks into which financial powers could be devolved from London.

He said: “To get real devolution of powers and responsibilities, we need to rebalance where tax is raised, from national to local – this isn’t politics, it makes economic sense.

“It means more local taxes can be spent directly on local priorities. We need an independent Royal Commission, or similar body, who can break central Government’s stranglehold on this issue.”