NP11 responds to the Spring Budget

7th March 2024

Clare Hayward - COTN

Clare Hayward MBE, DL Interim Chair of the NP11 group of northern Local Enterprise Partnerships and Chair of Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership responds to the Spring Budget:

“Devolution is critical to giving local places the tools they need to fire up their local economies and meet local people’s aspirations, so it’s great to see new or enhanced devolution deals confirmed today for several parts of the North, following announcements by Michael Gove at last week’s Convention of the North.

“Although the North is leading the way on devolution, there are still parts of our region without devolution deals and we urge the government to ensure that those places can realise their full potential, both for the people who live and work in those areas and for the country at large. It is only by enabling all parts of the country to punch their full economic weight that we will deliver the ambitious national growth that both the Conservative and Labour parties have committed to.

“Many of the announcements today around investment and sector support are welcome – what is crucial is that these are delivered in a joined-up way that encourages coordination rather than competition. Partnership-working across the North will be crucial to this, so we want to see Government working with us to collaborate on those opportunities that are best addressed at the pan-northern level, such as trade and investment, innovation and the opportunity to lead the Net Zero transition for the whole country.”

 

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