The Yorkshire & Humber Strategy & other policy work

At the end of 2008 the Government announced its response to the consultation on the “Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration” (SNR for short). The purpose of the review was to look for ways to drive forward economic growth in the English regions, and particularly to tackle pockets of persistent deprivation.

The Government concluded that this would be best achieved by targeting policy at the right spatial level; regional, sub regional, and local. Local Authorities would be given new responsibilities for economic development, including working more closely with each other and at the regional level decision making would be simplified. The key planning functions of the Regional Assemblies would be transferred to the RDA and Local Authority Leaders’ Board, and a new governance structure would be established. Existing regional strategies, including Spatial and Economic, would be replaced by an all embracing Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS), now known as the Yorkshire & Humber Strategy.

What will be in the Strategy

• An overview of the key regional and sub regional challenges including economic, social, health, and well being.
• How sustainable economic growth can be delivered.
• How we can create sustainable, well connected, and inclusive, mixed housing communities.
• Addressing climate change and energy.
• Identification of areas or communities that should be priorities for regeneration and investment.
• Ensuring that economic growth takes into account available infrastructure, including transport, waste, water, and minerals.
• Widening access to culture, media, and sport.

How the Regional Forum is responding on behalf of the sector

The Regional Forum is being pro-active to ensure that the sector is fully engaged with the Strategy process. We are fully involved, as a key stakeholder, in discussions about Strategy Developments, securing representation on the Consultation and Engagement Task and Finish Group led by Yorkshire Forward. The role of this group is to ensure that all relevant organisations are engaged with the development of the Strategy. We submitted comments to the informal consultation on the draft Project Plan, secured some changes to the plan and will be submitting evidence to the Strategy Key Lines of Enquiry, and helping the sector to do so.

Read our guide to submitting evidence.

We formed a VCS Leaders Advisory Group to offer expertise, intelligence, and understanding to regional decisions on skills, the environment, community development, and the whole process of policy making.

A major conference, organised by the Regional Forum called “Making Connections; the third sector and the Integrated Regional Strategy” was held on 13th October 2009. This focused on how the experience and work of the sector could be utilised to inform the development of the Strategy. It was well attended, and involved, Yorkshire Forward, Local Government Yorkshire and Humber, Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber, and the new economics foundation, as well as representatives from across the region’s voluntary and community sector. A report from the conference is now available.

We are promoting a more sustainable view of economic development using the new economics foundation think piece; “Living better, using less”.

All this information is contained in the Strategy (IRS) Briefing just published by the Regional Forum.

Stephen Fox is the Development Officer for Policy and Engagement at the Regional Forum. He can be contacted on 0113 394 2300, or email: Stephen Fox

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Upcoming Events

09/02/2010: "How the region works" - Regional Forum Information Session
Venue: Regional Forum, Leeds Time: 10.00am - 12.30pm * Do you understand how governance structures work at the regional level? * Where does the voluntary and community sector fit in? ...

23/02/2010: NCVO Annual Conference - The Good Society – a time for action
Venue: London One of the largest gatherings in the voluntary and community sector calendar where 650 people like you come together to hear from high-profile and influential speakers; learn and deba...

23/02/2010: Getting your voice heard: How to influence policies that affect you and your community
Venue: Leeds Time: 10.00am - 3.00pm An informal and practical event for small groups and grassroots organisations in West Yorkshire. Primarily aimed at BME, Refugee, Rural and Faith groups, t...

Job/Tender Opportunities

Invitation to tender - Case Studies for Reimagining Community Involvement (Closing date: 19/02/2010)
The Regional Forum is seeking to commission 9 case studies to showcase the contribution of voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations to empowerment activity within a neighbourhood or across a...