YORKSHIRE’S economy “isn’t working well enough” for too many people, Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe has told an economic conference.

Cllr Hinchcliffe said both the public and private sector had a role to play in ending in-work poverty.

She said there were three key challenges the region had to overcome for this to happen: improving productivity, making sure growth benefited everyone rather than just the wealthiest, and securing the devolution deal that has so far eluded Yorkshire.

Giving the opening keynote speech at the inaugural West Yorkshire Economic Growth Conference in Leeds, Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “Our region has so much to be proud of and I firmly believe that we need to shout much more loudly about our achievements.

“As we enter a period of profound change nationally however, there are a number of challenges and opportunities that we must work together to address regionally if we are to ensure that our economy remains globally competitive and our people have the best possible quality of life.

“For too many people, our region’s economy isn’t working well enough at the moment but gone are the days when government alone can plug gaps in living standards.

“As a businesswoman myself before I entered politics, I’m well aware it’s good businesses creating wealth and jobs that holds the key to a better quality of life for people in our region.

“Part of becoming more self-reliant as a nation and as a region is ensuring that we’re all –public and private sectors alike – the absolute best we can be, whether that’s increasing productivity by investing in R&D [research and development], training or technology and improving quality of life by enabling people to find good jobs with good prospects for progression, ending the in-work poverty that is holding too many people – and businesses – back at present.

“It’s incumbent on the public sector, both local and national, to help set the conditions for businesses to thrive.

“Absolutely central to achieving this is having the right investment and powers at our disposal so that we can focus on those issues that will have the greatest positive impact on our region.

“This is why I’m calling for Government to work with politicians and business leaders across Yorkshire to find a way to bring the benefits of devolution that people in Manchester, Teesside, Birmingham and other places are already experiencing here.

“Devolution isn’t an end goal in itself, but it’s absolutely fundamental to giving our region a strong voice on the national and international stage, and taking the right decisions about the issues that most affect us.”

The conference, at Leeds’ New Dock Hall, aimed to bring together business and civic leaders to discuss how to drive forward the county’s economy.

Speakers also included Lorna Pimlott, phase two sponsorship director at high-speed rail company HS2, Sean Jarvis, commercial director at Huddersfield Town AFC, Nigel Foster, director of strategy at Transport for the North and Roger Marsh, chairman of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership.