CBI Responds To Yorkshire Mayoral Election Results

CBI's Beckie Hart

Congratulations to Oliver Coppard, Tracy Brabin and David Skaith on their election as South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and York & North Yorkshire Mayors respectively. After a difficult few years for people and businesses across Yorkshire, there’s really no time to waste in getting the local economy firing once again.

Delivering jobs, opportunity and prosperity has to be at the very top of the new mayors’ ‘to do’ lists. That means pressing ahead with key economic priorities like improving connectivity, both physical and digital, right across the newest mayoral authority in York & North Yorkshire. We also need a clear strategy to deliver more affordable and sustainable housing that will provide firms with greater access to a much larger labour market.

Key local priorities also include re-opening Doncaster Sheffield Airport and implementing a Skills Strategy for South Yorkshire that will modernise the local labour force and help it compete on the world stage. Businesses will also be hoping to see spades finally in the ground for the long-awaited West Yorkshire mass transit and for the whole area to maximise the impact of the life sciences investment zone.