Should we scrap Yorkshire Forward - our "region's" delightfully dubbed Regional Development Agency? (Quick aside - why isn't is Yorkshire & the Northern Bit of Lincolnshire Forward?).
The Leader of Bradford Council seems to think so and other politicians in the city seem to want it either scrapped or subject to "greater democratic accountability". Certainly, the Conservative Party seems set on abolishing RDAs.
Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward - and a shrewd, bright and capable guy - puts up a spirited defence of the system:
“There are three alternatives to Yorkshire Forward’s existence as far as I can see: leaving the market to its own devices, which history has taught us leads to economic growth being driven south; a national approach, where recent experience has been Bradford is not a priority; or local solutions that would be less able to deal with cross-boundary issues or attract global investment.”
In the spirit of debate, let's look at Tom's three alternatives:
1. Leaving the market to its own devices. Tom says this will result in economic growth going south. I'll not dwell on the great industrial and commercial heritage of Leeds & Bradford - the result of a market acting on its own devices. Instead I'll remind Tom that the GVA (Gross Value Added) gap between Yorkshire and the South has increased during the time of Yorkshire Forward's stewardship of the "closing-the-gap" objective! On your chosen measure, Tom, Yorkshire Forward hasn't delivered.
2. A national approach. Here Tom tells us Bradford won't be a priority for investment (on the basis of past performance which is we know no guide to future performance). Again Tom let's look at one key area of investment priority for the "region" - transport. Did Yorkshire Forward secure even a fair share of transport investment for Yorkshire? No - it all went to London as usual and we in the North were told that this investment (Channel Tunnel Rail Link, New Medway Bridge etc) would benefit Yorkshire. You and I were at that meeting Tom.
3. A local approach. Apparently this will not address "cross boundary issues" - which of course is why all the railways stop at city boundaries! An utterly nonsensical argument - Leeds and Bradford set up the Leeds-Bradford Corridor study without any help from Yorkshire Forward and there are myriad examples of local councils working together on shared problems. And it won't attract "global" investment of course because no-one's ever heard of Leeds, Bradford or Sheffield! And Tom - our biggest problem isn't inward investment its the lack of new local businesses and local enterprise. Places like Hull & Barnsley have rates of new business creation well below half that of the national average and only a fifth of the most dynamic places such as West London and the Thames Valley.
Yorkshire Forward and the other RDAs have not been a total failure - the money they have spent has supported some great regeneration initiatives, some super new buildings and has helped get people into work. Investments such as the cancer centre at Bradford University and the Advanced Digital Institute are successful and contribute to the profile of the area considerably. But their time has gone - as part of the rejuvenation of local democracy investment in economic development and regeneration has to come back to local councils just as spend on skills, post-16 education and economic assessment has already done.
And you know Tom, I think those local councils - singly and together will prove you wrong!
2 comments:
Good rebuttals, Simon - supported by, apparently, incontrovertible facts! Now we have to give it 5 years to see if you are right. ;o)
Personally I am not convinced that Councils will have the skills needed to make a significantly better fist of things.
LEGI was a real opportunity to for local authorities to step up...
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