What is a Combined Authority?

A Combined Authority is where a group of councils work together across a larger area. The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has been created by the City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council. 

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is a legally recognised, single body. Our role is to use some of the money and powers, that up to now have been held by central government, and work with local leaders and communities to invest in ways that will help to make York and North Yorkshire a better place for you to live, work and do business.

What difference does it make?

Our Combined Authority looks at issues that affect the whole area. On our website you can find out about the work we are doing to:

• • grow our economy
  • help make communities safer
  • deliver strategies and projects and attract funding and investment
  • you can also see our latest news

Who is in charge and how are decisions made?

The Combined Authority is led by an elected Mayor. Find more information about the York and North Yorkshire Mayor.

The York and North Yorkshire Mayor chairs the Combined Authority Board. The Mayor is joined on the board by:

• • two councillors from City of York Council
  • two councillors from North Yorkshire Council
  • the Chair of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Business Committee – this is an advisory role and the Business Committee Chair is not a voting member of the Combined Authority

Find out more information about the Combined Authority Board and the Committee structure that supports decision making at the Combined Authority.

We want the decisions made by the Combined Authority to be transparent. We have an area of our website dedicated to helping you access information about governance and meetings held by the Combined Authority.

The Combined Authority Board is supported by the Executive team of officers. The Executive team’s role is to:

• • provide economic analysis and insights to support decision making and prioritising of Combined Authority activity
  • work in partnership to generate ideas for the future investments that the Combined Authority might want to consider and bid for future investment
  • deliver the programme of investment of the Mayor and the Combined Authority
  • successfully operate in accordance with the transparency and compliance framework for local government

To meet our Executive team, visit our Leadership team page.