Mayor wants power to decide on major solar farm

The mayor of South Yorkshire has said he wants more power over major planning applications instead of Whitehall deciding on behalf of local residents.

Labour's Oliver Coppard has been answering questions on BBC Radio Sheffield's phone-in Call Coppard.

He also spoke about food banks, free bus passes, the budget and Sheffield FC.

Read our takeaways from the hour below or listen to the full interview here.

"Do I feel like Whitehall are letting go of power? Yes, bit by bit but I don't think it's completely even across government, there are certainly some departments where it's more difficult and can be more tricky.

"I think we are definitely getting to a point where the expectation is we are given the power, the responsibility and the control over issues rather than it being held on to by Whitehall.

"There's an argument we can now make with a department to say, you have to justify to me why you are holding on to that power rather than us making that decision here in South Yorkshire.

"A good example would be Whitestone Solar Farm which is huge, it would be 2,000 football pitches wide. I'm against it, it is prime farming territory in the green belt but the decision whether or not to let it go ahead will be made by the secretary of state for climate and net zero.

"I think that is the wrong way round - the bigger it is, the more important it is that local people have a say. I know the local community are against it on the whole and therefore I think it should come to us.

"I'm making that case to the secretary of state - why do you get to take that decision? And increasingly that's the argument I can make backed up by the prime minister."

"We have sent in a submission to government asking for a bunch of different things such as investment in high-growth areas around Doncaster Sheffield Airport and through the Don Valley corridor.

"There are some massive investments already but we want to do more, not least through Northern Powerhouse Rail where South Yorkshire is right at the front of the queue.

"We're about half the size of our peers in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester so that needs to change.

"I speak to the Chancellor John Healey on the phone fairly frequently so it's good to have a local MP in that role. He used to be my boss so I know John fairly well and I have no doubt he's got his head in the books as we speak.

"I'm sure South Yorkshire will get a huge amount of attention from this government because we have three secretaries of state. I would very much like to think people will see this place matters to the government."

"In 2015 I was invited to St Thomas' Church in Crookes and went to see a food bank in the back room of the church. It was relatively small and was essentially running out of a cupboard.

"When I was running for mayor in 2022, I was invited back. I went to see the team running that food bank and this time it was in a warehouse.

"They told me a story about a young lad who had come in with his parents on his sixth birthday and his parents had brought him to the food bank because it was the closest they could get to a day out.

"If that doesn't make you stop and think about the challenges that some people face, the lives some people have in South Yorkshire, and what our priorities should be, I don't know what does.

"Food security has to be right up there in terms of how this government responds to the challenge. The very least anyone should expect is support to keep food on the table. The very basics of life should be there and I'll do everything I can to make sure of that."

"One of the ways government can help people is £2 bus fairs and we are bringing in free bus travel for kids right across South Yorkshire.

"We've already got it in Barnsley and we think it saves families about £500-£600 if they have two children which is a lot of money, that matters massively to families.

"Young people won't have the same time restrictions as senior citizens with free bus travel because it is to support kids who are going to school.

"There was a member of the public who said I shouldn't be funding free fares for young people as they could walk and I should instead take off the restrictions for older people.

"I want to do everything I can for older people but I also want to make sure families get the support that they need as well. Young people have had an incredibly tough time over the last few years and I want to do everything I can to support young people to thrive in South Yorkshire and if that means supporting them with free bus fares, I'm going to make that choice."

"I'm going to India, flying with all the other northern mayors and three secretaries of state.

"We're doing a trade mission as we have a free trade agreement with India and the Yorkshire mayors are going en masse to try and bring home jobs, growth, investment and to make sure we are taking advantage of that agreement.

"Sheffield FC will be coming with me on that trade mission as we want them to get that exposure - I've got my Sheffield FC shirt in the suitcase.

"I will also be talking to the prime minister as he is a big football fan and the club has massive ambitions.

"I doubt the new stadium will be Meadowhead as it doesn't work for that site. It's a traffic blackspot, there's a load of covenants on the land, it's not the right spot. There are other options on the table but that is for the club to announce."