MPs say regional agency has done good job attracting investment (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

MPs say regional agency has done good job attracting investment

2:23pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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There must be no further budget cuts to the body charged with bringing jobs into Yorkshire, a report today warns.

A Commons report by the Yorkshire and Humber Select Committee into the work of Yorkshire Forward – the Regional Development Agency – says the 23.9 per cent reduction in funding for 2010/11 must not be increased.

The MPs say Yorkshire Forward has promoted growth in the region – but the public remained unaware of the work it did.

They say: “While recognising the efforts Yorkshire Forward has made to increase awareness and understanding of its role, we have found that there remains a poor level of understanding of its work, particularly in terms of benefits and achievement, among the general public.

“It is important that Yorkshire Forward continues to work to develop this understanding and for the public to have an input into its work.”

Yorkshire Forward is involved in two major regeneration projects in Bradford city centre. It is part-funding the City Park, which is under construction, and also is the owner of the former Odeon building in Prince’s Way which is planned to make way for the New Victoria Place development.

Studies by the National Audit Office and auditors Pricewater-house Coopers said the RDA had benefited the regional economy.

Committee chairman Eric Illsley MP said: “Yorkshire Forward does important work in the region supporting business and promoting economic development.”

The committee said they were not convinced of the case for devolving funding from RDAs to local authorities but said an assessment should be made of the Leeds City Region pilot to look at the effectiveness of funding at sub-regional level – but not to the detriment of smaller authorities in the region.

Last year, an academic said Tory proposals to axe RDAs would lead to “balkanisation”. Professor Alan Townsend said Bradford would lose out to Leeds in a war of the jungle.