East Yorkshire councils 'need to collaborate more'

Hull City Council has launched a commission to look at changing the city's boundaries

Councils in East Yorkshire need to collaborate more or they will miss out on the benefits of devolution, according to a report.

The claim is made by a group investigating whether Hull should expand its boundaries or combine with a neighbouring council.

The Hull Commission was established by Hull City Council to review the effects of existing boundaries on the city.

The commission said it had received no evidence yet in favour of a merger.

Members of the 10-person panel come from local public and private sector organisations.

Tom Martin, chair of the commission, said local authorities had to collaborate or the region would miss out on funding and devolved powers under the government's "Northern Powerhouse" plans.

"The area lags behind other regions in the quality and pace of its partnership working, which makes our work all the more important," said Mr Martin.

'Shared aspirations'

Any change to the two councils' borders would have to be approved by the Boundary Commission for England and be backed by both authorities.

Last September, voters in East Yorkshire rejected proposals for Hull to expand its boundaries into the East Riding.

The ballot, organised by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, saw more than 51,000 people vote against changing the borders, with 1,887 voting in favour.

Stephen Parnaby Conservative leader of East Riding Council said the result of the vote "formally rules out a change to the administrative boundaries between the two local authorities".

"But that does not mean that we cannot look at other ways in which both councils can work together to realise the shared aspirations of our residents in growing the economy of the Humber region," he said.

The commission is expected to produce its recommendations in September.