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The Leeds City Region

Progress so far

Sally Hinton

LCR Strategy Manager

8th April 2011

www.leedscityregion.gov.uk

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Leeds City Region

- Largest economy outside LondonFunctional Economic

Area

95% self sufficiency

3m population

103,000+ businesses

£52 billion economy

5% of UK GVA

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LCR And Rural Areas

• Rural economy an important part of the

LCR

• Rural ‘offer’ – an important element in

attracting investment to LCR

• Rural LAs have the same voting rights on

the LCR Leaders Board

• Rural / urban / fringes not considered

separately

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LCR Workstreams

• Housing and Regeneration

• Innovation

• Transport

• Skills and Employment

• Local Carbon

• Background of 7 years of joint working,

developing a sound evidence base and

robust strategies

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Approaches to decision

making• LCR Partnership follows the principle of

‘subsidiarity’ – decisions are made at the lowest

possible level, but some more strategic issues

need to be addressed on a CR basis ( examples

– planning, transport, water management)

• Current partnership is a joint committee of LA

Leaders, this will be balanced by a LEP Board

with a majority of private sector representatives

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Housing and Regeneration

LCR Housing Market Sectors

Source: HM Land Registry, CLG.

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National Picture

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Rural and Innovation

• High level of business growth in rural

areas

• Illustrated through employment change

figures

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Employment change 1995-2009(Source-

Nomis) 1995 2008 Difference 1995 2008 Difference

Total Total No %

Total less public admin

Total less public admin No %

Barnsley 63,557 69,445 5,888 9.3 45,713 46,518 805 1.8

Bradford 185,681 192,925 7,244 3.9 143,920 132,651 -11,269 -7.8

Calderdale 80,441 82,293 1,852 2.3 65,069 64,666 -403 -0.6

Craven 19,405 26,934 7,529 38.8 14,985 21,577 6,592 44.0

Harrogate 52,466 72,080 19,614 37.4 37,728 54,883 17,155 45.5

Kirklees 144,074 150,220 6,146 4.3 113,493 108,471 -5,022 -4.4

Leeds 360,010 417,619 57,609 16.0 269,126 312,869 43,743 16.3

Selby 20,736 32,189 11,453 55.2 17,302 26,182 8,880 51.3

Wakefield 114,702 138,863 24,161 21.1 87,395 100,007 12,612 14.4

York 84,005 101,200 17,195 20.5 58,868 66,867 7,999 13.6

LCR 1,125,077 1,283,768 158,691 14.1 853,599 934,691 81,092 14.6

GB 22,489,341 26,656,311 4,166,970 18.5 16,967,102 19,447,823 2,480,721 14.6

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LCR Green Infrastructure

Vision

“Green infrastructure will shape the future

economic, social and environmental success

of the Leeds City Region by harnessing the

potential of existing environmental resources

to promote sustainable economic growth and

to tackle climate change.”

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GI Strategic Objectives

• To promote sustainable growth and

economic development.

• To adapt to and mitigate climate

change

• To encourage healthy living and

wellbeing

• To improve biodiversity

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2010-11 It’s all change!

• At a national level

• Commission for Rural Communities -

abolished

• NOW Rural Communities Policy Unit

(DEFRA)

• Rural Development Programme for England

– more consistent national approach

– Successor scheme depends on outcome of

EU budget and CAP reform

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More national changes

• Localism Bill – shift of power to local

communities

• Reduced levels of public expenditure

• Changing planning situation

– New homes bonus

– Neighbourhood plans

• Abolition of Rural Development Agencies

• Formation of Local Enterprise

Partnerships (..but no resources)

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Impact on LCR

• Fewer funding streams

• Reviewing priorities

• Working more closely with the private

sector

• Establishing a private/public Local

Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

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Leeds City Region LEP

LEP ambition is to become:

‘A World-leading example of a sustainable

economy that balances economic growth

with a high quality of life, and lowers carbon

emissions, becoming the natural alternative

to London for investors.’

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Leeds City Region LEP

• LEP private sector Chair appointed

• LEP Board appointed (8+8+chair)

• LEP to meet this month

• Consider Regional Growth Fund (round 2) and

• Enterprise Zones

• Work on priorities

• Engagement with different sectors

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LEP and rural areas

• Overlapping areas within the LEP

– Craven, Harrogate, Selby and York,

(+ Barnsley)

• York and North Yorkshire LEP focusing on

food and drink (‘Deliciously Yorkshire’),

agriculture, the visitor economy and

delivery of rural programmes

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LEP and rural areas

• LEP capacity fund – increase level of

business engagement

• LEP advocate for rural areas?

• Research into rural businesses (as drivers

of the LCR economy)?

• Rural roundtable meeting – virtual group to

have an input to the LEP

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sally.hinton@leeds.gov.uk

0113 247 8570