THE RESULT of a historic vote to decide what sort of regional devolution deal Barnsley people want will be known by Christmas, it was confirmed yesterday.

Councillors of all parties on Barnsley Council voted unanimously in favour of issuing ballot papers asking Barnsley voters whether they want to be part of Sheffield City Region, or part of a wider One Yorkshire deal behind a Yorkshire Mayor.

MPs Dan Jarvis and Stephanie Peacock, as well as the leaders of all political groups on the council, are in favour of the wider Yorkshire option, but leader of the council Sir Steve Houghton insisted the will of the people will be followed, and if they choose the smaller Sheffield City Region option, he will do his best to make a success of that.

“My own view is if we’re really going to change the economy in the north, we’ve got to be powerful as we can,” he said.

“But in the end, who are we doing it for? What do the public think?”

Ballot papers will be posted out during the first week of December. Polls will close on December 20 and the result will be declared on December 21.

“Some of the issues are complex, but some of these issues are straightforward,” said Sir Steve.

“Sometimes it’s about your instinct - where you think your future lies?

“It’s not just going to affect the council, it’s going to affect the borough, it’s going to affect our children and our grandchildren.

“Devolution is about local people making local decisions. Here’s a chance to make that happen.”

The Sheffield City Region option was due to bring £900m to the area over 30 years as well as new local powers under a South Yorkshire Mayor overseeing Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, along with other districts in North Derbyshire. But when the Derbyshire councils pulled out of the process, Barnsley and Doncaster councils’ leaders decided to look at other options including a bigger Yorkshire-wide deal to compete with the likes of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis said the community poll was a historic moment for Barnsley.

“The decision that we take could shape our lives for the next generation or so,” he said.

“It’s a postal ballot, so we’re not asking anyone to go out to a polling booth. You will get a letter through the post, and I hope that people will take the opportunity to vote and to have their say.”

He said it was important there was a debate about what was in our best interests, but that to him it was clear there was a strong economic case for the wider Yorkshire deal.

“I think that outweighs any benefit of a Sheffield City Region plan, but we’ve got to persuade people of that case.”

He said Brexit is an important factor when considering devolution.

“I think a question people have to answer is how as a region can we leverage our influence as Britain leaves the European Union?

“Look over the hills towards Manchester, or down to the West Midlands, they’ve already got their devolution solutions in place. They’ve got their mayors they’ve got people standing up for them.

“We don’t have that here in Yorkshire, so it seems to me that drawing the county of Yorkshire together gives us the best opportunity to co-operate and compete, not just with other parts of this country, but around the world.

“The Yorkshire Brand is an iconic one and I think by drawing the whole of the county together, that is the best way we can compete in a world with Britain outside the European Union, so this is an important debate, and I really hope people will engage with it.”

Stephanie Peacock, Barnsley East MP, added: “There’s a huge amount of money at stake, Yorkshire, Barnsley, and South Yorkshire have often been left behind and what we’re saying is we want investment in the local area from the government and we want to make sure we get the best deal for the Yorkshire area.”

This week Chronicle editor Andrew Harrod joined the editor of BBC Radio Sheffield and other local newspaper editors in South Yorkshire to invite all the county’s council leaders to a debate on the issue of devolution on Tuesday November 21. Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry is also expected to attend along with members of the public from across South Yorkshire.

For a video featuring interviews with Dan Jarvis, Stephanie Peacock and Steve Houghton, click here.