BUSINESS leaders in the district have welcomed a call from small firms in Yorkshire urging action on the Northern Powerhouse ahead of the Budget on Wednesday.

A new report, An Entrepreneurial North, by Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) representatives in the North, has highlighted the benefits of moving to a pan-regional small business support model as part of the Northern Powerhouse project.

Small businesses from across the region are also calling for effective integration of public bodies, greater infrastructure investment and the creation of a Council of the North.

Mike Cartwright, of Bradford Chamber, told the Telegraph & Argus: “The Northern Powerhouse idea remains an important policy area for helping to deliver more even economic growth across the country. It has lost some traction and Government commitment since it was first floated and, although politics and economic policy is a crowded area at present, the idea needs to regain some momentum in order to deliver on its objectives. In particular, we want to see the trans-Pennine high-speed rail line happen, with a Bradford station.”

But he added: “I think that the jury is out on more representative bodies or quangos, as these could end up being simply another tier of government.”

The four Local Enterprise Partnerships across Yorkshire are receiving more than £2.4 billion in the six years to 2021, with 35p in every £1 coming from European Union sources.

The report suggests that Government plans to bring together different funding streams into a single UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) marks an opportunity to more effectively integrate small business support services across the North. Other demands detailed in the report are improvements to infrastructure in Yorkshire.

Neil Kendall, FSB Leeds city region policy group convenor, said: “Three years on from the first mention of the Northern Powerhouse and it’s still hard to find concrete manifestations of it. With a week to go until the Budget, we’d like to see the Chancellor take some meaningful steps towards getting the show on the road.”