Member Article

Humber City Deal submitted

Business and council leaders around Humber have submitted a City Deal bid, aiming to accelerate the area as an offshore wind cluster.

The bid includes proposals for a new Employment and Skills Board, which would set skills priorities for the Humber, based on forecast demand; part of the adult skills budget to be directed towards priority areas; more work experience opportunities in the Humber Estuary; and a Humber Investment Bank.

The proposals were drawn up by the four Humber local authorities and the Humber LEP, and will now be considered alongside 19 other bids.

The Humber will also be one of two pilot areas to work with Lord Heseltine. implementing the recommendations of his recent report, “No stone unturned in pursuit of growth.”

Lord Haskins, Chairman of the Humber LEP, said: “The City Deal would be an important step forward for the development of the Humber, building on recent joint successes including the Humber Bridge tolls, the Enterprise Zones and the Regional Growth Fund.

“It would speed up major developments and help us to make sure that investors can access the skills they need locally. The LEP and the local authorities have worked together on this very closely and very well over the last few months, and we will shortly have an opportunity to go further still when we begin our work with Lord Heseltine.”

Councillor Liz Redfern, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “North Lincolnshire has already been awarded the largest Enterprise Zones in the country in recognition of our potential to build a brand new offshore wind industry in the Humber.

“We are one of the few areas in the country capable of creating thousands of new jobs with developments like the Able Marine Energy Park and the City Deal will help us maximise our potential for new jobs and investment.

“The Humber has a clear vision to become the major European and UK centre for renewables and engineering in the UK.”

Hull City Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Brady, added: “The national attention on the Hull and Humber region with the City Deal and Heseltine report is very welcome and reassuring that we can really make something happen to speed up development and inward investment, which can achieve a far-reaching impact for the areas fortunes for many years to come.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .