Leaders meeting to discuss how York and North Yorkshire will benefit from levelling up deal
Local leaders will be joined by business, public sector and community representatives from across the North
Northern leaders, including those from York and North Yorkshire, and Secretary of State, Michael Gove, will discuss the next stage of North’s Levelling Up later today.
They will be joined by business, public sector and community representatives from across the North and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP.
Following the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper which was released last week, they will discuss how the North can work together and with Government to make sure levelling up maximises the North’s potential to grow an inclusive, productive, sustainable economy that works for everyone, while also driving the UK’s transition to Net Zero and tackling health inequalities through innovation.
Helen Simpson OBE, Chair of York & North Yorkshire LEPS, will be in attendance.
Following the White Paper announcement she said:
"We are very excited to see this beginning of the next phase. This will give local people a voice in how their place exists and grows and flourishes and how we can give people a real pride in their places.
"The work that we need to do is to make sure the voices of business can contribute effectively into the exciting journey we have ahead and they very much value that contribution.
"One of the things I love about York and North Yorkshire are the people and the way our culture is. We're hoping there will be real contributions made to local communities, right at the grassroots level."
The Convention of the North with NP11 will take place at eco-building The Spine in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter – recently named the UK’s healthiest building – today (Tuesday 8 February 2022)
Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chair of the NP11 group of 11 northern local enterprise partnerships, said:
“The Convention of the North with NP11 in 2019 was hugely important because it was the first commitment to work across partners to realise the North’s full potential. With the UK at a critical moment, we hope this event will build on its successes and I look forward to a productive, challenging, inspiring and open conversation that will help us collectively turn potential into delivery.
“The two-plus years since the last Convention have seen unprecedented change across the North and globally. Despite the challenges we face, there are also many causes for optimism. The North has the skills, drive and innovation to benefit the whole UK by leading the fourth industrial revolution, focusing on green jobs and health innovation. As well as levelling up our powerhouse northern region, this will deliver on the Government’s vision for a competitive Global Britain."
As well as bringing together northern political leaders, business, and Government to agree actions on how best to level up the North, the Convention will provide a platform for young people, community representatives and leading thinkers to discuss how levelling up can best deliver for the North.
The event will comprise high-impact plenary sessions, alongside focused discussions on those areas that will make the biggest difference to the North’s future – the “Five Gamechangers for the North”, as set out in a report published by the Convention of the North and NP11 in October 2021.
The gamechangers are those areas where collaboration across the North and with Government can grow an inclusive economy that delivers for the North and the country, while also tackling the health inequalities that have been laid bare by COVID-19:
Leading the Green Industrial Revolution
Closing the healthy life expectancy gap between the North and South through innovation
Closing the education and skills gap
Improving connectivity in towns and cities in the North
Increasing private and public investment in R&D spending in the North
The event has been organised by the NP11, Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on behalf of the Convention for the North.