Blunkett backs YEP
Sheffield MP David Blunkett has added his voice to efforts to ensure Yorkshire’s business voice continues to be heard following the demise of regional development agencies (RDAs). Speaking exclusively to Insider yesterday in Leeds, the former education and home secretary said efforts to create a Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership (YEP) - which would take responsibility in the region for functions such as inward investment, tourism, innovation and access to finance - had significant merit.
However, he said it was crucial that universities and smaller enterprises were also involved in the YEP framework and “not just the big boys”.
The Labour politician said: “It is crucial with the demise of Yorkshire Forward and the government office for Yorkshire that there is a mechanism for communication between Yorkshire business, MPs and government.”
The bid for a YEP is being led by industrialists including Barry Dodd, chief executive of GSM Group. They believe that Yorkshire needs a bigger organization to push its case in Whitehall alongside the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) framework. Their efforts chime with Insider’s own campaign to ensure Yorkshire’s voice is not lost with the scrapping of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) has invited local authorities and business leaders to submit proposals for LEPs by Monday (6 September). But it has also said that it intends to centralise some of the functions previously carried out by RDAs.
