On July 31^st July 2024, symbolically the evening before Yorkshire Day 2024, The Yorkshire Society brought together a panel of expert speakers to lead a fascinating Forum on the Future Governance of Yorkshire in the grand surroundings of the Temple Anderson Hall, within the Yorkshire Museum in York.

The purpose of the meeting was to seek new ways forward for Yorkshire and for its governance at a period of significant political change when Devolution for England is once again high on the Government agenda.

It also followed the important Big Yorkshire Conversation Survey undertaken by The Yorkshire Society and University of Hull in 2021 and the symbolic Yorkshire Declaration signed by 100 Yorkshire citizens near York Castle on April 1^st, 2024 – the 50^th anniversary of the abolition of the three Yorkshire Ridings as legal entities.

Under the able chairmanship of Society Vice President Lord Timothy Kirkhope, former Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire & the Humber Region, speakers included: Dr Tiffany Holloman of Same Skies Think Tank; Sir Stephen Houghton, leader of Barnsley Council and Chair of the Yorkshire Leaders Board; Ben Crick, composer and Chief Conductor of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra; Rachel Brice. CEO of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and a member of the Yorkshire Climate Commission; and Dr Stewart Arnold, historian and leading advocate of Yorkshire Devolution. Former Labour MP John Grogan – another Society Vice President – and joint chair of the One Yorkshire Committee also provided a useful summary of the key issues raised by the speakers.

Forms of devolution discussed included not only the input from national, regional and local government that might be required, but equally vital ways to engage with ordinary people and community groups, and also the many region-wide business groups and third sector NGOs in key areas. This includes The Yorkshire Society of course who have contributed significantly to the understanding of our rich cultural history, heritage and identity – the aforementioned Big Yorkshire Conversation Survey being one example.

Above all it was recognised that successful Devolution will be about unleashing that sense of pride and rugged independence which in the distant past made Yorkshire such a successful Region of England and, freed from the shackles of an over-centralised state, something the Region could become in the future.

For those who did not attend the Forum, a report of the Forum, including summaries of all the presentations and discussion will be produced by the University of Hull and The Yorkshire Society in the near future.

The Society’s ‘Big Yorkshire Conversation’, of which the survey was part 1 and the Forum part 2, goes on and our non-political campaign to see Yorkshire achieve its potential goes on. It’s purpose is to ensure the ordinary people of Yorkshire get their say and are heard by those making decision affecting their lives.

We thank corporate members of the Society, University of Hull, for their continued support.