City Region

Leeds City Region

Bradford and nine other local authority areas make up the Leeds City Region* – a functional economic area, defined by the way our businesses operate and our residents live their lives.

It is the largest city region in the UK, home to 3 million people and 100,000 businesses, and generating 4% of the UK’s economic output.

*The Leeds City Region refers to the local authority districts of Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York

Leeds City Region Partnership

The Leeds City Region Partnership brings together the public and private sectors, and partners in government, education and the third sector, working to a common vision for economic prosperity.

Work of the partnership focuses on the following areas of activity:

• Business innovation and growth 
• Employment and skills 
• Green economy 
• Transport 
• Housing, regeneration and planning 
• Economic research and intelligence

The strategic priorities stem from the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Plan.

In July 2012 a landmark City Deal was agreed with government, which will give the LEP greater control over spending and decision-making to achieve our priorities.

For more information about Leeds City Region please visit the Leeds City Region website.

City Deal

On 18 September 2012, the government and Leeds City Region signed a City Deal which provides a transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It gives local government greater control over spending and decision-making to make decisions in line with key priorities for growth in the city region.

The areas focused on in this first city deal are skills, transport, investment funds, trade and inward investment as well as new robust governance arrangements to help with the efficient delivery of objectives.

For further information please visit the Leeds City Region website

Combined Authority

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is now in operation.

A combined authority is when two or more local authorities get together to collaborate on key economic development, regeneration and transport issues in an area.

WYCA is a combined authority made up of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield councils, as well as the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and York City Council.

The WYCA is responsible for the £1 billion West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, and will work closely with business in the region through the Leeds City Region LEP to ensure that business and the regional economy is at the heart of the decisions taken.

The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (Metro) is now part of the WYCA. As well as developing better transport networks for tomorrow, WYCA will ensure that the day-to-day services that were provided by Metro continue.

You can read more about the WYCA on its website at http://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/

Economic Investment Fund

The Economic Investment Fund is being established to support economic growth and create jobs in the Leeds City Region.

The fund, backed by Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield and York councils, aims to provide up to £500 million of private and public sector funding to plug the gap left by the banks in a bid to drive development opportunities.

Senior figures from the supporting councils believe that by generating further private institutional funds, the new pot of money could eventually reach £500 million.

The fund will be run by an independent fund manager and have match funding from the Growing Places Fund.

West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund

Leaders of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield and York authorities have agreed in principle for an initial £1bn of funds to be specifically targeted at increasing employment and productivity growth, to reverse decades of under-investment and create a world-class infrastructure for West Yorkshire and its neighbouring authorities.

Initial analysis has shown that a well-targeted 10 year programme of investment in transport will help free new and existing businesses from the current restrictions they are experiencing and enable them to create and sustain a substantial number of new jobs.

Reducing congestion, improving the flow of freight and making it easier for people to commute to and from expected major growth areas will help create around 18,000 jobs and increase economic output for West Yorkshire.

The Fund is the key to increasing economic prosperity and sustainability over the next decade, especially for people living in more deprived areas giving better transport to access jobs, as well as providing faster journeys, decongestion and improved air quality for the sub-region.

Further work on developing the Fund is being undertaken by the partners.