REPRESENTATION

Influencing policy at both national and international level, as well as regionally and locally, are important to ensure that businesses in our local areas in West & North Yorkshire continue to thrive. Strong relationships with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and international Chambers help to keep the business voice heard on decisions taken outside local areas that affect business prospects. West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is involved in several policy groups operated by the BCC, further details below. • Climate Challenge, this group is developing policy responses to the net-zero, sustainability and low carbon agenda. • Trade Policy Committee, looking at import/export affairs; results of recent research can be found at www.britishchambers.org.uk/news • Skills, examining labour market issues, including recruitment problems; see a recent statement on this at www.britishchambers.org.uk/news. WNY

Chamber sits on two sub-groups working on adult skills and youth skills • Levelling Up, to help steer policy development following the White Paper publication • Northern Chambers Assembly, this group brings all of the accredited Chambers across the north together to collaborate on shared policy interests • Transport, focuses on national priorities which impact businesses across our region • Employment Land, identifies policy challenges around site allocations. This group seeks to ensure that employment land is given equal consideration within Local Plans • Clean Air Zones, this group is developing a policy tool kit to assist Chambers in discussions with local authorities to ensure consistency of approach with regards communication with businesses. • Economic & Tax Policy, working on national responses to matters including business rates, investment allowances and related policies. The Chamber would welcome input on any of these areas; if members would like to contribute please get in touch via marketing@wnychamber.co.uk

The long-awaited Levelling Up white paper has set out the Government’s plan to fix the decades-long imbalance in life chances, opportunities, productivity, housing, education and infrastructure across the UK. There will also be a devolvement of more powers to the West Yorkshire Mayor, as well as a mayoral combined authority to cover York & North Yorkshire. The ambitions in the paper have been welcomed by the Chamber; we have long advocated for investment equality so that our region can play its full role in contributing to the national economy. Amanda Beresford, Chair of West & North Yorkshire Chamber and Planning Partner at Schofield Sweeney said: “The paper aligns well with the Chamber’s asks of policymakers in that Levelling Up must be about all parts of Government working together across departments to achieve outcomes which improve the livelihoods and prosperity for our region. “Levelling Up will not be achieved in a single parliamentary cycle and so it is right that the policy seeks to set targets beyond the next election. We have likened Levelling Up to the post-war Marshall Plan or East German reunification: it needs long-term commitment if we are to come anywhere near fixing the challenges left through de-industrialisation and from rural and coastal economic exclusion. “Whilst the paper sets out bold ambitions, it is light on how these interventions will be funded. The paper also references the need for infrastructure improvements which seems contradictory given the announcements late last year to scrap Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 East, both of which would have provided significant improvements to capacity and connectivity across the North. “The paper is right to propose increased devolution and we welcome the proposals for York and North Yorkshire; but this must come with significant funding and autonomy if it is to make real impact. Devolution must be a bottomup conversation not something prescribed by Whitehall. “The white paper also proposes to continue the Local Skills Improvement Plan initiative, which aims to put businesses at the heart of the skills agenda and ensure training providers can respond to current and future needs. Eight Chambers across the country led the pilot programmes and we hope the roll-out will enable our Chamber to develop regional programmes on behalf of firms across West and North Yorkshire. “The Chamber will continue to work with Government departments to help them understand the barriers to levelling up and ensure businesses are able to play a full roll through providing new employment, investment and growth opportunities.”