Council leader in talks over investment

Coun Parnaby will be accompanied by the council’s chief executive, Nigel Pearson, and Alan Menzies, its director of planning and economic regeneration, and the meeting, at Allam Marine Ltd in Melton, will also be attended by the company’s owners Assem and Ehab Allam, and Stephen Hudson, of developers The Wykeland Group.

Discussions will be based on issues including the localisation of business rates, measures being put in place to assist the private sector, including enterprise zones and funding, and continued efforts to attract renewable energy companies to the Humber.

The council’s position will be buoyed by the recent success of a joint bid with Hull Council for more than £25m from the Regional Growth Fund to help attract private sector investment to the area.

Coun Parnaby said: “I am looking forward to meeting with Mr Neill and representatives of the local business community to discuss some of the positives coming out of the East Riding during these difficult economic times.

“The council always welcomes the opportunity to speak with the Government in order to discuss key issues relating, not only to council business, but also to local communities.

“The council is working tirelessly to attract new investment to the area and this has been helped by the setting up of Enterprise Zones, Local Enterprise Partnerships and the securing of RGF funding and we will be highlighting this to Mr Neill.”

Last week Chancellor George Osborne told the Yorkshire Post the region had a key role to play in Britain’s economic recovery during a visit to the Humber Bridge.

Tolls on the bridge are expected to be halved in the spring after Mr Osborne announced plans to half the bridge debt.