The government has announced funding to enable the West Midlands to focus on accelerating its advanced manufacturing capabilities….reports Asian Lite News
The government is continuing to deliver devolution for all corners of the country, with a commitment to deliver full devolution across the North. The next wave of devolution deals will work to ensure the remaining areas in the region not yet benefitting from greater devolved powers are supported to deliver agreements that work for their communities.
The commitment confirmed today follows the government’s announcement earlier this week that four devolution agreements will progress in Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Devon and Torbay.
The government will also release this year’s funding for two Investment Zones, delivering high quality jobs and attracting private sector investment, focusing on advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire.
Investment Zones have been established in a number of Combined Authorities in England, combining tax incentives and flexible funding for research and development, skills, business support, local infrastructure and planning.
The government has announced funding to enable the West Midlands to focus on accelerating its advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government made the announcement yesterday, stating that this year’s funding for two Mayors’ Investment Zones will be released, delivering high quality jobs and attracting private sector investment, focusing on advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire.
Investment Zones have been established in a number of Combined Authorities in England, combining tax incentives and flexible funding for research and development, skills, business support, local infrastructure and planning.
The announcement follows the news last week that devolution agreements for four UK regions will progress. Under the plans, local leaders in Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Devon and Torbay have greater say over decisions that benefit their communities and harness the unique potential of their areas.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “For 14 years, the over-centralised Westminster-knows-best attitude of the Tories left millions of people left behind, neglected, ignored and invisible. Britain’s economy has been held back and dragged down by their failed trickle-down experiment. This Labour government will harness the potential in our economy, handing power back and putting communities in control, so innovation and growth can bloom in every part of the country. Our devolution revolution will shift power away from Westminster, reigniting the fires of our economy, unleashing investment and driving economic growth by trusting in our local leaders who know their areas best. I have seen how in my own patch, devolution has put rocket fuel under local pride. We have the power to do things in a Manchester-way, but we want to support other communities to do things their own way. This is about restoring trust in politics and respecting people with skin in the game to make decisions for their own area. We will be the government that completes devolution in the north. This shift will change the future of the north of England like nothing else. Northerners will no longer be dictated to from Whitehall. The change will be irreversible, there is no going back and I will get it done.”