Call to Government to help Sheffield City Region with economic fightback

The Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) formally approved the Renewal Action Plan which aims to support people, businesses and places across the county with the ‘interventions designed to make the region’s economy stronger, greener and fairer’.

The plan has been developed by Mayor Dan Jarvis, the leaders of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), working in partnership with the business community, trade unions, universities and voluntary sector.

Now, the Mayor and the leaders of the councils have jointly called for the Government to back the proposals in the Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn.

SCR bosses said the proposals will support over 55,000 training and job opportunities, back 25,000 businesses, create 3,000 apprenticeships along with revitalising South Yorkshire’s towns centres.

It comes after the mayor called for a ‘New Deal for the North’ - a package of £1.7bn to addressing the steep divide with London and the South East.

Mayor Dan Jarvis said: “I’m pleased that leaders have formally approved our Renewal Action Plan. We have worked closely together to develop the proposals, which will support workers, businesses and places right across our region.

“We send a clear message to Government that South Yorkshire stands ready to deliver not just recovery, but renewal in our economy and society.

“Backing the plan will benefit our region, the north and the whole the country. Now the government must devolve the powers and invest the resources South Yorkshire needs – giving us the tools and resources to get on with the job and build back better.”

Coun Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield Council, said: “The challenges resulting from Covid-19 are profound and stretch across every aspect of our society.

“We know there will be economic consequences as a result of this pandemic that will cause an effect for some years to come. Knowing this, we’ve been working together across South Yorkshire, alongside the hard work we are doing in Sheffield, to put together a plan in order to lead our region’s recovery and renewal.”

Doncaster Council mayor, Ros Jones, said: “Boris Johnson has promised to level-up the North, Doncaster and South Yorkshire is ready and waiting for investment, to support our residents, communities and businesses to recover from the pandemic both socially and economically.

“The next six months will be a challenge, as we continue with the ‘new normal’, whilst doing what we can to prevent a second peak, all whilst we shape our path out of the European Union.

“We have an opportunity to rebuild our economy to be cleaner, greener, stronger and more resilient. I ask of central government to give us the powers and the resources and we will do the job.”

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