Local democracy must not be weakened by Government plans to further develop city regions, the leader of Bradford Council has warned.

Councillor Kris Hopkins, the Conservative leader of the Council, wants fellow members of the newly-formed Leeds City Region leaders' board to take a firm stance on the issue.

At a meeting of the leaders' board, held in Huddersfield today, Coun Hopkins said the board should tell the Government that its priority was to drive forward the region's economy, not to interfere with local governance.

He said: "We should explain to the Government that we (the leaders' board) are interested in outcome on housing, transport and skills, and not in governance issues.

"We will not compromise at all on governance."

He said he was not interested in the Government's "silly agenda" of moving towards greater devolution of powers to the regions.

Coun Hopkins was responding to fears raised by Councillor Steve Houghton, leader of Barnsley Council, who said the Leeds City Region needed to be at the forefront of the Government's plans or risk falling behind other city regions in terms of development and progression.

Coun Houghton said: "The Government is talking about piloting new arrangements for city regions in three areas - Birmingham, Manchester and Teesside - and it's a concern that we do not appear to be involved in these pilots, which could mean extra powers and extra investment. Perhaps these three areas have been quicker off the mark."

He said he feared the Leeds City Region's transport and skills agenda could be pushed further down the Government's list of priorities.

Councillor Peter Box, leader of Wakefield Council, said: "I understand the Government is talking about governance issues in terms of housing and transport. We have agreed unanimously that we don't want that and we should count our blessings we are not involved in this pilot."

Coun Hopkins said: "We came to this table as 11 areas (of Yorkshire) which want to find a collective solution. If we are not one of the Government's chosen three' areas, that does not mean we walk away from the table.

"If the Government is not going to play, we still need to have dialogue to find solutions without compromising local authority."

Kirklees Council leader, Councillor Robert Light, who was officially elected chairman of the Leeds City Region leaders' board today, said the board was not interested in moving towards the London model, with an elected mayor.

He said Yorkshire was fiercely independent and added that there was no intention of undermining local democracy.

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