£2.6m in new funding agreed to progress key Mayoral pledges
An investment of up to £2.6m has been agreed to progress Mayoral pledges around skilled jobs for young people, supporting West Yorkshire’s creative and cultural sector, and bringing the bus system back into public control.
The decision was taken by the region’s leaders at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the first chaired by Tracy Brabin Mayor of West Yorkshire.
Brabin said: “At my first meeting of the Combined Authority as Mayor, the leaders of West Yorkshire’s councils and I have started the process of delivering on my pledges to create a stronger, fairer West Yorkshire for all.
“We’ve set out the priorities for the coming year and plans for how we’re going to invest some of the money unlocked through devolution, so we can help our region recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic with good jobs and skills.
“And I’m delighted we have now taken the first step to fulfilling one of my key pledges of bringing buses back into public control by starting the process for full franchising of our bus network.”
Tracy Brabin
Using funding unlocked through the West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, the Mayor and Combined Authority have agreed to provide £500,000 support to the region’s Creative and Cultural sector as it recovers from the pandemic.
The Combined Authority agreed up to £600,000 over the next three years to develop a Fair Work Charter for West Yorkshire, to promote diverse workforces, good pay and conditions.
To meet the Mayoral pledge of creating 1,000 well paid, skilled jobs for young people, the Combined Authority also agreed up to £500,000 to develop a support package for people aged 16 to 30 to help improve skills and find good jobs in the green and digital sectors.
The meeting also saw the start of the process to fulfil a Mayoral pledge of bringing buses back into public control, with the Combined Authority formally starting the process to consider bus franchising, alongside an Enhanced Partnership with the region’s bus operators.
Up to £1m will be made available to put in place the resources needed to progress bus franchising.
These investments are in addition to £5m to fund local economic recovery plans; a £13.5m investment to help 10,000 people affected by the pandemic build new skills and find new jobs; and £6m being made available to support a new generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs.
The meeting also saw the Mayor and members of the Combined Authority agree key portfolios around improving skills, housing and transport, the continuing regeneration of towns and cities and recovery from the pandemic, business support, and tackling the climate emergency.
