A Question-and-Answer session with the Mayor of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority regarding matters within the scope of their portfolio.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Mayor Coppard of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to the meeting. The Mayor began by thanking Members for the opportunity to attend and noted the positive activity in the town centre.
The Mayor explained that questions had been received in advance and would be responded to, and that he did not intend to make a long statement about the work of the Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA), preferring to allow more time for discussion.
In response to a question regarding the Integrated Settlement and fair funding across South Yorkshire, the Mayor outlined that the Integrated Settlement was a mechanism introduced by the previous government and continued by the current one. It enabled the MCA to bring approximately 25 out of 45 funding streams into a single integrated pot, allowing greater flexibility to shift resources between capital and revenue and between different programmes, though within agreed outcome frameworks. The Mayor noted that the model gave more freedom than before but did not allow unrestricted spending. Work was ongoing to ensure money was allocated fairly and in line with priorities, including significant investment in Rotherham.
The Mayor highlighted that more than £60m of projects were currently being delivered in Rotherham, with total funding commitments exceeding £250m. He reaffirmed that the MCA would continue to support major assets such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park and improve the transport connectivity required to sustain and grow these strengths.
On Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), the Mayor acknowledged public scepticism given previous experiences with HS2 and other cancelled rail schemes but emphasised their intention to hold the Government to account. He welcomed that Rotherham’s Main Line Station had been explicitly included and prioritised in the latest NPR plan, crediting sustained lobbying by local Members. Improved rail connectivity to Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and London, along with electrification of the line to Leeds and future expansion of Sheffield’s Supertram into Rotherham, were identified as further opportunities within the NPR proposals.
The Mayor noted that these schemes formed part of a wider Yorkshire-first approach developed jointly as part of the White Rose Rail Plan. He stressed that the NPR programme was a 15-20?year plan, requiring consistent commitment from future governments, and confirmed that he would continue pressing for delivery, particularly the Rotherham Gateway Station.
The Mayor responded to further questions on transport. He noted that detailed information on the extension of the South Yorkshire Supertram could not yet be shared, as the MCA would be launching its new transport brand and strategy on 16 March 2026. This launch would outline plans for tram extensions, bus franchising, integrated transport, rail, and work relating to the airport. Rotherham was confirmed as central to this work, with several schemes included in the forthcoming proposals.
On ensuring public transport connectivity to key employment sites such as the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District and the Advanced Manufacturing Park, the Mayor stressed that this remained a significant challenge. Only 1% of South Yorkshire residents could access the AMRC training centre within 30 minutes by public transport, and many young people faced long, complex journeys to reach training placements. The MCA was examining improvements via buses, rail and tram?train, with bus franchising expected to support this work. A six?week consultation on franchising was under way, and all councillors would be invited to detailed engagement sessions. The Mayor emphasised that changes would not occur immediately at the point of franchising, as stability would be prioritised before route redesign.
In response to concerns about maintaining bus service levels during the transition to franchising, the Mayor acknowledged this as a live issue. He referenced the experience in Greater Manchester, where routes lost before franchising had proved difficult to reinstate. The MCA was therefore working to maintain current service levels across South Yorkshire. The Mayor expressed frustration with operators over recent fare increases of up to 20% despite significant public subsidy, and over proposals to withdraw routes ahead of franchising while seeking additional public funding to retain them. The MCA was in ongoing discussions with operators and urged them to reconsider route reductions.
The Mayor concluded by inviting further questions through the Chair and offering to provide additional detail if required.
Councillor A Carter asked what impact the proposed Rotherham Main Line Station would have on the Mayor’s transport budget, and whether prioritising the station would affect funding for other local road and transport schemes, including projects such as LNIS in Rotherham. He also asked whether investment would focus solely on the Main Line Station or continue to support wider improvements across the borough and South Yorkshire.
The Mayor explained that the funding position was more complex than would be ideal. Most transport funding was provided through the Transforming Cities Regions (TCR) programme. A significant uplift had been received, totalling around £1.5bn. Approximately £350m of this would be allocated to bus franchising, which would benefit all of South Yorkshire by enabling a more integrated and partly electrified network, as well as giving the MCA greater control over depots and services. A substantial proportion of funding would also support tram?train infrastructure, including schemes benefiting Rotherham such as Magna, Parkgate, and town centre connectivity, along with work on potential future extensions. Officers were currently assessing how the remaining funding should be distributed.
The Mayor confirmed that the proposed Rotherham Main Line Station remained a key priority linked to the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan. Feasibility work was under way to ensure the project could progress. However, investment would not be focused solely on the station; other schemes would continue to receive funding. This included allocations for pothole repair, active travel, safer roads, neighbourhood improvements, and environmental priorities such as the Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Funding would also support culture, business investment, and other strategic areas.
The Mayor emphasised that decisions would be shaped through the Integrated Settlement arrangements, allowing flexibility to move funding across programmes, and confirmed that Rotherham’s priorities would remain central in discussions with the Leader and local partners.
Councillor Blackham asked whether the lease secured from the Peel Group for Doncaster Sheffield Airport was sufficiently flexible to avoid restricting the reopening and future operation of the airport.
The Mayor responded that reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) remained a major priority and had been the focus of three years of work involving the Mayor of Doncaster, local councillors, MPs and the MCA. The Mayor emphasised that the shared goal across South Yorkshire was to see the airport reopened as a hub for flights, economic opportunity and job growth, noting the wider potential of the opportunities linked to sustainable aviation. Work with industry partners, including Boeing, was referenced as evidence of future potential.
The Mayor confirmed that throughout the process the MCA had acted to protect taxpayers’ money while supporting Doncaster Council’s efforts to secure the airport’s future. Peel Group had engaged constructively, resulting in improvements to the lease arrangements. The Mayor noted that the challenges and requirements for releasing MCA funding were fully set out in the extensive public documentation published in September and reiterated their commitment to transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Councillor Yasseen raised concerns regarding value for money and the historic use of public funds on major transport schemes. She referred to the previous capital investment in the Rotherham-Sheffield tram connection and the significant cost escalation from an original £15m estimate to a final spend of £75.1m, noting that the National Audit Office had assessed it as poor value. She highlighted worries about repeated cycles of investment, such as the redevelopment of Rotherham railway station lasting only around 20 years before major reinvestment was required and questioned whether large infrastructure projects were effectively performance?managed.
She asked at what stage schemes should be halted if costs escalate beyond their value, why key risks were not identified earlier in the tram project, and whether such schemes risked becoming “vanity projects” that continue receiving funding despite poor performance. She sought assurance on how the MCA ensured robust oversight, early risk identification, and responsible use of public funds.
The Chair clarified that the Rotherham Tram-Train scheme had been delivered by Rotherham Council and funded directly by the Government. The overspend had been met by Government rather than by South Yorkshire funds, and the Council had signed up to the scheme on that basis.
The Mayor responded by separating the question into two parts: the historic value?for?money issues relating to the tram?train scheme, and current assurance on managing major capital projects.
On the historic position, the Mayor noted that the overspend on the tram?train project had arisen from requirements introduced by Network Rail, rather than from Rotherham Council, the MCA or the Mayoral office. The Chair had already clarified that the scheme had been Government?funded and that the overspend was met by Government. The Mayor added that an inadequate early specification by Network Rail had driven much of the additional cost. Although not in office at the time, he acknowledged the challenges this created.
The Mayor commented more broadly that the UK often failed to maintain continuity in major infrastructure delivery. Skills and expertise gained on large schemes were frequently lost due to long gaps between projects. South Yorkshire, as a pioneer of tram?train technology, had not been able to build sufficiently on that early expertise, partly due to national factors.
The Mayor emphasised that the ambition to connect Rotherham via tram, tram?train and mainline rail remained the right strategic direction. However, this required strong project management and long?term maintenance. The Mayor noted that historically the Supertram network had suffered from underinvestment in maintenance, partly due to fragmented responsibilities. This had contributed to the ageing fleet and deterioration of infrastructure. He confirmed that the MCA and South Yorkshire Leaders were now reversing this trend, committing more than £600m to renew and improve the tram network, including a new fleet of trams and tram?trains. The Mayor stressed that major capital projects must be accompanied by long?term maintenance funding, noting that infrastructure could not simply be built and left for decades without reinvestment.
The Mayor concluded that the MCA was now focused on delivering projects effectively, maintaining assets properly, and learning from past issues to ensure value for money.
The Chair observed that Government policy was shifting rapidly in relation to local government and mayoral authorities. Noting potential future changes that could see planning and licensing functions transferred to the Mayoral Combined Authority, along with proposals for fire authority governance to move under the Mayor, while police governance might be removed. The Chair asked for the Mayor’s views on the democratic implications of powers being transferred away from local authorities to the regional level, particularly in sensitive areas such as planning and licensing, and how such changes would benefit residents.
The Mayor responded that the question raised important issues about democracy and community agency. Noting that over several decades significant powers had moved away from local communities, including the loss of major industries, strong local institutions and wider council powers previously held in areas such as licensing and utilities. This long?term shift had left many residents feeling he had little control over decisions affecting their daily lives.
The Mayor stated that devolution offered an opportunity to reverse some of this trend by bringing powers and funding back to South Yorkshire. However, he emphasised that this should not result in power being centralised solely in the Mayoral office. Any new responsibilities, such as planning or licensing, should Government transfer them, would need to be exercised in partnership with local councils and local communities.
Using taxi licensing as an example, the Mayor noted that although Government may decide to place this function under mayoral remit, the MCA would still need to work collaboratively across South Yorkshire to maintain the highest possible standards, recognising the improvements and leadership already shown in areas such as Rotherham.
The Mayor stressed that democratic accountability required both partnership and transparency, and that the goal was not only improved governance but restoring a sense of agency for residents, ensuring decisions were taken with communities rather than imposed over them.
Councillor Baggaley asked how local councillors and communities could work more effectively with the MCA. He noted that in his ward a number of meetings took place between the MCA and council officers, but there was no local elected representation within those working groups. He also highlighted that business cases were being developed without the local councillors being involved, despite these projects having significant community impact. He therefore asked how local Members and local communities could be better engaged in MCA processes going forward.
The Mayor responded that he aimed to make himself as accessible as possible to residents and councillors, including regular community visits, monthly phone?ins on local radio, use of social media, and public meetings. He acknowledged, however, that informal engagement was not a substitute for formal governance or structured opportunities for local involvement.
It was noted that the MCA remained a new organisation, still developing its systems and processes while Government continued to transfer new responsibilities. He emphasised the importance of maintaining an ongoing conversation about how local councillors and communities could best engage with the MCA and confirmed that he attended forums such as this meeting specifically to listen and learn how engagement might be improved.
He highlighted that much local input already reached the MCA through chief executives, officers and council leaders, with whom he was in regular communication, but stated he was open to exploring more direct methods for involving local councillors in MCA work where appropriate. He invited Members to approach him with suggestions on how local expertise and community structures could be better incorporated.
The Mayor reiterated his belief in devolution, stating that decisions should be taken as close as possible to the people they affect. He accepted that the MCA did not always get engagement right and welcomed further discussion on strengthening local involvement.
Councillor Thorp asked whether the investment in the proposed Rotherham Main Line Station would reduce the funding available for wider road safety improvements across the borough. He noted that road safety remained a top public concern, with strong community support for additional crossings and measures around schools, yet councillors were often told there was no available funding through the Mayoral Combined Authority. He therefore asked whether prioritising the train station would limit or worsen access to MCA funding for road safety schemes.
The Mayor confirmed that investment in the proposed Rotherham Main Line Station would not reduce funding available for road safety improvements. He stated that the number of people killed or seriously injured on South Yorkshire’s roads had been too high for many years, due in part to long?term underinvestment in public and active travel infrastructure. This had contributed to increased car use, congestion and road danger.
The Mayor explained that, when he took office, South Yorkshire had recently been refused Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, despite bidding for over £550m. The region had also experienced historic underinvestment from successive governments. However, he noted that the funding situation had now changed significantly, with South Yorkshire expecting around £1.5bn in capital funding between 2027 and 2032. He stated that this investment would support improvements not only in rail, tram?train and buses, but also in road safety. The road safety team had been brought back into the MCA, enabling renewed investment in crossings and safety schemes, particularly for children. The Mayor reiterated his commitment to making South Yorkshire one of the safest places to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle, including significant funding for side?road crossings and pedestrian improvements. He emphasised that the MCA could and would invest in both the Rotherham Station project and road safety, and that the two were not in conflict.
Councillor Yasseen raised concerns about the environmental implications of reopening DSA. She noted that both the MCA and local councils had declared a climate emergency in 2019 and had committed to achieving net zero by 2040, a target she already regarded as extremely challenging. She questioned how enabling one of the highest?emission forms of transport could be reconciled with those commitments, given that aviation emissions could outweigh reductions from all other sectors. She asked how this apparent contradiction would be addressed and how the airport’s return to operation could align with achieving net zero. Councillor Yasseen also asked whether it was appropriate or sustainable for councils or combined authorities to take responsibility for running airports.
The Mayor responded that no council would be running the airport. The airport would instead be operated by Fly Doncaster, an arm’s?length body established with specialist expertise built into its governance, including the board and chief executive. The Mayor reiterated his long?held view that airports should be run by professionals from the private sector and confirmed that this model would be followed.
Funding for the airport’s reopening would flow through the MCA once specific conditions were met. The Mayor argued that this approach protected taxpayers’ money while enabling the airport to function as a major economic driver for South Yorkshire. He highlighted its potential to create significant employment, support logistics and freight, and improve global connectivity.
Addressing the climate concerns raised, the Mayor acknowledged the climate emergency and the tension between aviation and net?zero ambitions. However, he argued that aviation would remain a necessary part of modern economic and international life, and that the solution was not to eliminate flying but to develop more sustainable aviation. He emphasised that South Yorkshire was already leading in this field, citing Boeing’s lightweighting and advanced manufacturing work in the region, supported in part by MCA investment. The Mayor stated that DSA could become a centre for sustainable aviation innovation, contributing both to net?zero progress and to local economic opportunity. He concluded that the MCA’s approach aimed to balance climate commitments with economic needs, enabling both sustainable aviation development and local job creation.
The Chair thanked Mayor Coppard for attending, answering questions and giving his time, and also expressed appreciation to his accompanying officer Charlie Sweeney, for his support.