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26
Feb
Business board endorses county-wide growth plan at Harrogate meeting
A business board appointed to advise the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has endorsed the first draft of a Local Growth Plan.
The business board was appointed last November to advise the combined authority and Labour mayor, David Skaith, on strategy and policy, with part of their remit to oversee the development of York and North Yorkshire’s Local Growth Plan.
The board met for the second time yesterday (February 25) in Harrogate and endorsed the 'competitive advantage sectors' identified within the plan.
These include food and farming innovation, engineering biology and life sciences, clean energy, rail innovation and security, and creative industries and heritage.
The combined authority said it will carry out a consultation to seek views from industry leaders.
Mr Skaith added:
We want to demonstrate what growth looks like in an area like York and North Yorkshire. We are not a big, industrialised area, but we have strengths that are unique to our region.
The sectors that have been identified will unlock the opportunity for us to not only be different but impact on our local communities and at a national level. As a city region, rural powerhouse, we want to help the government deliver on their missions and position York and North Yorkshire as a trailblazer for rural areas across the country.
A national review of small business support, York and North Yorkshire’s Business Innovation Programme, a review of a University of York report on female entrepreneurship in York and North Yorkshire and ways in which board members can engage with wider networks were also all discussed at yesterday’s meeting.
Jennifer Wood, chair of the business board, also said:
York and North Yorkshire has a unique opportunity to deliver transformative growth through the identified sectors. We are lucky to have some incredible business talent within our region and it is time for us to realise our full potential by turning the dial up on our strengths.
The introduction of champions for these key areas will tap into the knowledge of wider networks and provide a voice for those within the private sector.
The role of the board is to engage across sectors and help to ensure that the mayor is hearing directly from businesses. By appointing champions, we can give Business Board members the autonomy to influence decision-making on their specialist areas and collaborate with industry leaders throughout the region.
Three people who have been co-opted onto the board to represent higher education also attended the meeting, including Harrogate College principal, Danny Wild.
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