Business voice key to Yorkshire Forward’s future
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YORKSHIRE’S business community will be key to shaping the future of Yorkshire Forward ‘Mark Two’, the regional development agency’s new chief executive has told TheBusinessDesk.com.
Thea Stein said recent assurances from Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, had confirmed that the new coalition government wanted Yorkshire Forward to survive despite massive public sector savings being made under the new administration.
However, Ms Stein said there would undoubtedly have to be a reorganisation of the regional development agency, which has a mission to make Yorkshire and the Humber a better place to live, work and invest.
Speaking exclusively to TheBusinessDesk.com, Ms Stein said one of her priorities as chief executive would be to garner the views of both local authorities and businesses to find out how they would like to see Yorkshire Forward function for the good of the region going forward.
But she also stressed it was “business as usual” for the RDA and that its work to promote the region as a global centre for advanced manufacturing and low carbon technologies and as a major centre for renewable energy would continue.
She said Yorkshire Forward had to “offer the best service at the best price”.
Ms Stein said: “Vince Cable came to Yorkshire recently and said very clearly that there is a future for this regional development agency. He talked about the need to rebalance the economy.
“I think it’s a clear signal having the Business Secretary standing next to the Prime Mininster (who also visited Yorkshire) delivering these messages.”
Ms Stein’s comments come as it was reported today that Yorkshire Forward has been forced to draw up plans to slash its budget by up to £44m – 15% of its annual £277m budget, which could lead to large numbers of job losses.
It has been reported that the list of proposals has been presented to the government by Yorkshire Forward which is now waiting to hear what cuts, if any, will be made as the government looks to cut RDAs’ funding across the UK by £293m.
Ms Stein said it wasn’t “inevitable” that there would be job cuts at Yorkshire Forward despite the government pledging the need to trim public sector staff levels across all UK regions.
“I don’t know if there’ll be inevitable job cuts,” Ms Stein said. “I think there will be changes at the organisation. It’s all about asking what does the region want?”
But Ms Stein admitted that a Yorkshire Forward “Mark Two” would emerge as the austerity policies of the new coalition government come into force and this would lead to a “slimmer” regional development agency being created.
Ms Stein, who has been promoted from her role as executive director of economic inclusion to replace Tom Riordan as chief executive, said: “The region as a whole is doing well. Exports are up. Recruitment is up. We’ve come out of recession. We weren’t the first into recession and we won’t be the last out of recession.
“I believe Yorkshire Forward plays an essential role in the economy and in the development of this region.
“I feel confident that partners want to see a Yorkshire Forward ‘Mark Two’ continuing to operate in the region. That’s a decision that we’re going to make after listening to everybody.
“We’ve got the power in this region to shape the future we want. We’ve got the desire to keep the region going forward.
“We need to think long and hard about what the problem is that we’re trying to fix when talking about reorganising (Yorkshire Forward).
“It is not just about discussing issues but having the right conversation. And we’re up for a lot of conversations to get that right.
“We’ve got to work out what’s best for this region together with local authorities and the business sector. We’ve got to do that quickly and pragmatically and it’s vital for this region as it will mean more businesses, more growth, more investment and more people in work.”
Ms Stein said cutting funding to Hull Forward, which will cease to operate as a consequence, was the right thing for Yorkshire Forward and the Homes and Communities Agency to do.
She said she was aware that Yorkshire Forward was not universally admired but argued that its positive legacy for the economy and job creation far outweighed the criticism it receives.
But she says: “Could we have done things better (previously)? I’d be mad to say there’s not things we can look at. But we’ve always been clear that we’re working on behalf of the region.”
Despite stepping into the chief executive’s role as the economy emerges from the worst recession in recent history, Ms Stein, who said she would push the government to ensure major investments for the region including Leeds Trolleybus and a loan to Sheffield Forgemasters would be honoured, said she was excited about her promotion and believes she has the skills required to take the RDA forward successfully.
“If you don’t want to do a job in interesting, challenging times when do you want to do it?, she said. “We’ve got an opportunity to refocus and think about what is best for the region and to be part of that and to help shape that is great. It’s a very exciting journey.”
She denied the lack of private sector experience on her CV was a disadvantage for the chief executive’s role and highlighted her experience of managing complex finances, change management and staff structures as reasons why she got the job.
The new chief executive is also positive about the message her elevation to one of the most high profile jobs in the region may give to women aspiring to climb the career ladder.
Ms Stein, who will officially take up her new role later in the summer, added: “I’ve been a chief executive in the health service in Scotland and in this country and now I’m a chief executive here at the RDA. I think it’s very good for younger women to see I’m in a senior position.
“Women are maybe inspired by that.There are a number of women in senior positions in the public sector. However, I’m aware for some women in industry there are glass ceilings.”
Thea Stein’s CV: Previous roles
– Executive director of economic inclusion at YF (employment, skills and local authority partnerships)
– Chief executive of Leeds North East Primary Care Trust
– Deputy chief executive of Dumfries and Galloway Health Board
– Director of commissioning Adult Social Services for Dumfries and Galloway Health Board and Council
