Business leaders urged to back £2.4bn infrastructure investment bid
Business leaders in North Yorkshire are being urged to back the county’s bid for a new single council and help bring in new investment in infrastructure worth up to £2.4bn.
York and North Yorkshire County Council are working on an ambitious devolution deal to take control of funds and powers from central government to accelerate the recovery from the pandemic and create growth opportunities for businesses.
They have approved plans to invest £540m in fibre connectivity, £390m in transport links, £290m in market town centres, £215m in the bio-economy, £95m on housing, £50m on green energy and £10m in skills across the county over the coming years.
The county council says the proposed new single council will save significantly more than £25m a year in bureaucracy costs by scrapping the current two-tier structure of local government which has seven district councils and a county council.
In its place would be a single, mayor-led stronger authority with enhanced local accountability and the strongest possible voice at a national level.
It would focus on delivering projects to upgrade communications and transport infrastructure within the county and with the wider region and rest of the world.
And it would have full responsibility for planning, economic development, highways, housing, trading standards and other essential services.
Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said: “North Yorkshire has a vibrant and diverse business community with international strengths in the bio-economy, technology, manufacturing and tourism sectors.
“This devolution deal will back companies of all sizes with new investment of up to £2.4bn in the infrastructure they need to grow and prosper, but the time is now – devolution must not be delayed. The cost of any delay could be extremely significant.
“Our proposals simplify and strengthen local government, save unnecessary spending, bring stability and give us the size and scale to succeed. We urge businesses to back our bid, which we believe will offer you the best prospects of lasting economic recovery and growth.”
North Yorkshire County Council is inviting business leaders to lend their support by writing to the minister for regional growth and local government, Simon Clarke, at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Businesses can find out more by joining a webinar on September 10.
The webinar will provide an overview of the York and North Yorkshire devolution deal and what it means for businesses, the county council’s plan for a new single North Yorkshire council how this single council would benefit businesses and deliver at scale.
Ministers have offered to devolve funds and powers as part of the Prime Minister’s “levelling up” agenda, on condition that local authorities scrap the two-tier structure and move to a streamlined unitary system.
