The Aire Valley in West Yorkshire is the setting for the first test of central government's willingness to really devolve power to city-regions.

Leeds City-Region wants to create an ‘accelerated development zone' in the valley, but will Whitehall let it do it properly?

This might seem a strange question, as we are talking about one of only two city-regions which have been identified to pilot close partnerships with the Government.

Leeds City-Region held a series of fringe events at the party conferences. I dropped into the one in Brighton, where Rosie Winterton, minister for regional economic development partially lifted the veil on the mindset of central ministries on devolving power. She said there was a Cabinet committee on the issue, although she wasn't meant to reveal it. Why ever not? Anyway now you know.

Ms Winterton explained that the Treasury was always worried about the ability of councils to deliver, and whether schemes had been properly thought through. However, the most reluctant ministries were the Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions. According to the minister, if they were pushed too hard, they wouldn't cooperate. Well get them!

Dermot Finch, of the Centre for Cities, observed that the slowness of the Government to tackle devolution in England was one of its big failings. I came away from the fringe meeting thinking city-regions could be another one. So Messrs Denham and Healey –  it's up to you to face down these central government departments in the interest of the city-regions of Leeds and Manchester. And it is for the prime minister to back his ministers.

Former PM Tony Blair's failure to support John Prescott's attempt to transfer significant functions from Whitehall helped scupper elected regional assemblies in 2004.

Jim Hancock is a freelance journalist, and former political editor in the North West for the BBC