NEWS on new devolution powers that will affect North Yorkshire are expected to be announced within weeks.

Several rival submissions detailing how local authorities propose to join forces to obtain devolved powers and funding from Whitehall have been put before the Government.

The Greater Yorkshire proposal, which would see North Yorkshire joining forces with West Yorkshire councils, York and East Riding is favoured by the majority of council leaders in the county.

West Yorkshire councils have claimed to be close to agreeing a deal with the Treasury for their Leeds City Region bid, encompassing West Yorkshire’s five councils with York, Selby, Hambleton and Craven. But it is believed some Conservative MPs with constituencies in West Yorkshire support the rival Greater Yorkshire proposals.

Another bid would see York team up with North Yorkshire and the East Riding (YNYER).

The Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Carl Les, said while none of the proposals could yet be predicted as a front-runner, there had been promising comments made by Local Government Secretary Greg Clark over a Greater Yorkshire deal.

“We do know George Clark has been publicly saying in the Financial Times that the Greater Yorkshire bid has a lot going for it and a lot of support,” said Cllr Les.

“We have submitted out statement of intent. That appears to have found some particular favour and they have asked us now to put some flesh on the bones, which is being done now.”

Cllr Les said Friday's news that a devolution deal had been signed by Chancellor George Osborne for the Sheffield City Region did not affect the Greater Yorkshire bid.

“Everybody accepted right from the start that the South Yorkshire and Sheffield area was keen to do its own thing,” he said.

Cllr Les said he expected the Government to announce its decision “within weeks” rather than months.

It is believed the many rival bids for the Yorkshire region prompted David Cameron to make his infamous, off-camera jibe about Yorkshire people “hating each other” during a visit to Leeds.