Delivering the future for Yorkshire and Humber

Local people will from next week (1 June) have the chance to help plan key work tackling Yorkshire and Humber’s major problems through better targeting of millions of pounds of investment.

Research led by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly has identified seven key issues where the region has persistent and problematic trends:

• Violent crime;
• Transport;
• Housing Affordability;
• Widening Gaps in Income and Inequalities;
• Obesity
• Climate Change/Energy, and
• The need for Higher Level Skills and Innovation.

To tackle these challenges and in line with recent Government guidance on strengthening delivery of sustainable development in the English regions, the Assembly is taking forward work on a new Integrated Regional Framework - to ensure regional strategies and investment work collectively to improve delivery of regional priorities.

From that, key decisions on how and where future financial assistance and other resources should be targeted by the region’s major organisations will be taken.

The IRF will provide the framework to help regional bodies- including local councils, businesses and other agencies- plan their work in a more joined up way, enabling the best use of resources to benefit people right across Yorkshire and Humber.

The IRF will merge existing frameworks, Advancing Together and the Regional Sustainable Development Framework, to ensure regional strategies and investment work together to improve the delivery of regional priorities.

A draft of the IRF has been drawn up following input from a host of agencies across Yorkshire and Humber and from next Friday (June 1), the Assembly is asking people and organisation across the region for views on the work so far and the possible way forward. The deadline for submissions is 24 August.

Arthur Barker, Chair of the Assembly’s Sustainable Development Board said “The draft IRF aims to address issues that affect the future development of Yorkshire and Humber. Now we want to hear from those people and organisations who will either be implementing it or affected by it.

“Are the key issues we’ve identified the right ones, and are the ideas so far suggested to tackle them the best methods to deliver the changes our region needs?’’

To submit a comment, please contact Helen Todd at the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly on 01924 331587; email Helen.Todd@yhassembly.gov.uk