SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR OLIVER COPPARD RESPONDS TO SPENDING REVIEW

Published 11 June 2025 at 5:00pm

Responding to the Spending Review, South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said:

“Today we saw the government lay out their spending plans for the next three years. I’ve been working closely with the government for nearly a year to get to this point, to tackle the challenges we face and take advantages of the opportunities in front of South Yorkshire. There’s some good news, but still work to do.

“On transport, I negotiated a £1.5 billion investment in our public transport network which means new buses and new trams, connecting our communities. I was pleased to see the Chancellor reconfirm her support for our plans to reopen Doncaster-Sheffield Airport. With the government’s backing, we’ll take a final decision in summer. 

“The Chancellor also reaffirmed the government’s support for defence, committing £426m for Forgemasters in Sheffield, protecting 700 skilled jobs and creating 900 construction jobs, offering a vote of confidence in South Yorkshire as a leading defence cluster in the UK.

“We saw a massive £39bn for housing nationally which will mean more homes being built here, particularly more social homes. There’s £30m for an Innovation Accelerator which will help us grow the industries of the future right here. Announcements on health, education and training will also make a big difference to communities across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

“I was pleased to see the Chancellor confirm our Integrated Settlement, giving us more local control over spending decisions and public services from April 2026.

“Less positively, we didn’t hear anything about new money for South Yorkshire Police, which is disappointing, so I will keep on pressing the government for the funding we need to keep our communities safe. 

“But we’ve not seen the whole picture today. Next week, we’ll hear about the government’s plans for infrastructure, and I’ll be looking for a response to the proposals we put forward through the White Rose Agreement’s Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail, and support for some of our key industrial strengths, including our steel and hydrogen sectors.

“Overall, this is good news for South Yorkshire and for the North. We’re finally beginning to see the type of investment we’ve been denied for too long; a rebalancing of our economy and long-term commitments to addressing the challenges that hold our economy back.”