OUT on a limb – that’s what we are. York is traditionally the historical capital of Yorkshire but in today’s economic and political climate we’re far from it.

Which is why we’ve thrown our lot in with the local councils in West Yorkshire to form a combined super authority in the hope it supports economic growth in areas like skills, transport and investment.

York is part of the super group because of our apparent ‘economic inter-dependence’ with metropolitan West Yorkshire.

Yet as I go about my day-to-day business I don’t feel akin with the likes of Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Bradford apart from the fact that like Scarborough, Hull, Settle and Harrogate we’re all fortunate enough to be part of the wonderful county of Yorkshire.

But still, if we can ride on the coat tails of West Yorkshire cities and be in with a shout for new central government funding you can’t knock it. Except you can…

Because in a last ditch attempt to woo Northern voters before the general election, Gideon, at the behest of his mate Call-Me-Dave, told us in last week’s last-chance-saloon budget that there was oodles of cash to be had in a new city deal to support the development of the so-called Northern Powerhouse – but apparently only if we agree to elect a Boris-style super mayor to oversee the combined authority spend as it trickles down from Whitehall.

Regardless of the politics how York will benefit from this isn’t clear, given that we are on the fringe of the West Yorkshire super economic area in more ways than one. But if not the local authorities in the west, who else in the county would we throw our lot in with?

It’s not as if there’s a natural fit between York and what goes on in East Yorkshire and Hull. Nor do we have a natural affinity with our friends in South Yorkshire or the folk up on the moors or down in the dales. Their issues aren’t necessarily ours, and much as we all love being part of Yorkshire it's that very diversity of where we live that makes God’s own county such a special place to be.

So there’s only one thing for it. We need to go back to pre-1974 before Whitehall mandarins started mucking about with our boundaries and imposing upon us new counties and borders we didn’t want.

Back then the West Riding ended at Micklegate Bar, the East Riding at Walmgate Bar and the North Riding at Bootham Bar. York was seen for exactly what it was – the capital of Yorkshire and a city authority in its own right. And as such, it had a clearly defined place in terms of Yorkshire’s history, culture and economy.

They say what goes around comes around, and York is well placed to stand tall in today’s world. In the supposed Northern powerhouse, it’s a powerhouse of its own.

But in standing proud in our metaphoric size 11 boots, that wouldn’t be to deny the importance of our links with other parts of Yorkshire, through the skills base we can offer and, for example, the desire to enhance transport links so those skills are readily transferable, whether they relate to what Yorkies can offer to other parts of Yorkshire or vice versa.

Incidentally, being out on a limb doesn’t just relate to York galloping alongside our West Yorkshire brethren in the hope of getting some of the economic fall-out, but to the city’s relationship with those communities beyond the bar walls that nevertheless fall within the city council boundary.

As a resident of a village that used to be looked after very well by Selby District Council, thank you very much, I do get sick and tired of City of York Council’s city-centric view of life.

In terms of day-to-day council business the West Offices mandarins’ window on the world stops at the outer ring road and in some instances they don’t even include our village on the council map.

So before council officers started positive stroking their counterparts in West Yorkshire they should have made sure the City of York council house was in order first, by making the likes of us feel an integral part of the council services on offer.

And don’t get me started on being part of the York Outer parliamentary constituency – I never did like doughnuts and I certainly don’t like being part of one now. You folk in Haxby and Skelton are lovely, lovely people I’m sure, but our village has little affinity with yours, in much the same way that York folk haven’t a right lot in common with the good souls of Bradford...