Roger Marsh: Momentous moment as £1.8bn of funding freed

This hard-won agreement, which is the biggest ever of its kind, unlocks £1.8bn of government funding over the next 30 years. It will allow us to invest in public transport, support businesses, improve skills and living standards while tackling the climate emergency.

It will mean more of the decisions that have a major impact on our region, which are currently taken in London, will be taken here. And it means that West Yorkshire will be at the front of the queue for future powers and funding.

As a region, we have proven time and time again what we can do when given the opportunity. Even without full mayoral devolution, we have achieved great things by working across geographies and across the public and private sectors to create jobs, opportunities and business growth across the whole of Leeds City Region.

Our £1bn Growth Deal – the largest of its kind – has helped to bring further investment into the region, creating jobs and work opportunities and helping over 4,800 businesses to grow.

We have built new and refurbished colleges to help future generations develop the skills they need to succeed, improved flood defences and put in place a £1bn package of transport investment to upgrade transport links, making it easier for people and businesses to get around and encourage people to cycle and walk.

Now, with a true devolution deal, we have the chance to go much further. There is much for business to welcome in the deal. It includes a commitment to support the development of a West Yorkshire mass transit system and major investment in transport and infrastructure through a new West Yorkshire Investment Fund.

With transport consistently mentioned by business as being a key barrier to growth this will enable much-needed transport improvements across our region to go ahead.

Everyone who works, lives or does business in West Yorkshire should welcome this deal.

Beyond our region the deal is also good for the North, completing a key missing piece in the North’s devolution jigsaw. As chair of the NP11 group of Northern LEPs, I believe wholeheartedly that this deal is a positive step forward for the North as a whole, and I hope other areas currently without the benefits of devolution follow swiftly in West Yorkshire’s wake.

As we set out in our Manifesto for the North – developed by the NP11 and Convention of the North – going further with devolution is a vital step if we are to close regional divides and realise the full economic potential of a thriving Northern

Powerhouse.

We can see that devolution makes a real difference where local politicians and business leaders have come together to set an ambitious agenda for their area, winning new powers and investment to deliver on that agenda as a result.

The North is home to nearly a quarter of the UK’s population and we contribute over £300bn a year to the economy. With the right support, we will be able to do so much more. Last week’s Budget demonstrates the impact that the North can have on the national agenda when we speak with one voice.

I have long argued that the North is part of the solution for UK plc and another key ask in our manifesto was that levelling up the economy needs to be an explicit objective of the Treasury.

To that end, I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement that the Treasury will review the Green Book – the rules that determine whether an investment offers value for money, which for too long have favoured London and the South East, at the expense of the North.

We also welcome the reiterated commitment to fund the Manchester to Leeds leg of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), with funding to support master- planning in Bradford city centre to deliver, ultimately, a through station in the city on the NPR route. With devolution we will be able to do even more to deliver extraordinary economic growth for people, communities and businesses in our region.