YNYCA names business board
The board will assess and provide insight into the Local Growth Plan, to help attract private sector investment into York and North Yorkshire.
Looking to take full advantage of the benefits of devolution, the business leaders will advise the combined authority on economic strategy and growth.
Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, David Skaith, who ran a high street business prior to taking up the position, said: “With new and emerging growth, it is important that we have the right plans in place to attract private sector investment in York and North Yorkshire and create more and better opportunities for people who live and do business here.
“My mission is to ensure that devolution delivers healthy and thriving communities across York and North Yorkshire and small businesses are at the heart of that.
“The business board will have a role in ensuring that we are supporting small businesses that are the lifeblood of our communities to be resilient and to thrive.
“It is crucial to me as Mayor that I have strong connections to the business community, so the board will play an integral role for providing a voice for businesses within York and North Yorkshire.”
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority was formed in January this year is tasked with delivering the region’s devolution deal of £540m.
Mayor Skaith commented: “The diversity of our business community is one of our greatest strengths. Small and high street businesses are at the core of the York and North Yorkshire economy.
“We also have future focused, high growth businesses, who are leading innovation and creating new and higher paid jobs, in areas such as digital, agritech, biotech, and creative.
“Every type of business should benefit from devolution and a stronger economy. As Mayor, I want to champion businesses in York and North Yorkshire and enable their expertise to help shape delivery of wider issues, such as transport, housing and skills.
“I want to improve our region’s productivity so it is no longer 10% behind the national average – business voices can help us with that.”
Mayor Skaith confirmed the 13 members of the board as:
- Jennifer Wood, co-founder of O&3
- Caroline Bell, managing director of Shepherds Purse Cheeses
- Jane Colthup, chief executive of Community First Yorkshire
- David Dickson, chair of St Leonards Hospice York
- Cherie Federico, director of Aesthetica Magazine
- David Hall, vice-president of Power Systems – UK & Ireland
- Andrew Hughes, managing director of AGH Engineering
- David Kerfoot, chair of Fix Our Food
- Nicola Kingswell, co-founder and scientific director of Niche Scientific
- Rebecca Layton, owner of Layton Hill Hotels
- Sam Leach, development and finance director at Spark York
- Andy Makin, managing director at EnviroVent
- and Jessica Wright, managing director of PeelX.
Including spending from a mayoral investment fund, the combined authority will deliver £112m of investment in 2024/25 across York and North Yorkshire, including £67m on local transport, £12.7m on brownfield housing, £10m of green economy investment, and £2.9m for skills provision.
