Dan Jarvis MP, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, has called on the Government to deliver its promise to level up the economy by investing in South Yorkshire in the forthcoming Budget.
Mayor Jarvis has sent a detailed Budget submission to the Treasury, challenging the Government, and the new Chancellor Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, to support our region’s ambitions and reduce national inequalities through sustained investment and devolution of powers.
The Mayor highlights that devolution, together with the Sheffield City Region’s upcoming Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), will enable South Yorkshire to create good, new jobs, drive inclusive growth and address the climate emergency.
Mayor Jarvis said: “Here in the Sheffield City Region we stand ready to deliver major projects, build productivity and secure new investment into our region.
“In the last 18 months McLaren Automotive have opened a £50m innovation and production facility, Boeing launched their only manufacturing facility in Europe and a new UK Atomic Energy Authority facility is in development that will explore how to commercialise nuclear fusion and develop new manufacturing techniques.
“In the last month we have unlocked the Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal, and through the Local Enterprise Partnership an ambitious and bold new Strategic Economic Plan is being developed.
“This progress signals not only our ambition but our ability, working with the private sector to get things done. It’s now time for Government to back us with sustained investment that will create improved opportunities for our communities and businesses, and make our region an even better place in which to live, work and invest.”
In the Budget submission, Mayor Jarvis challenges the Government to commit to millions of pounds in investment for the region, including the full £220m Transforming Cities Fund allocation, £200m for flood mitigation schemes and £300m to connect Doncaster Sheffield Airport to the East Coast Main Line.
Following the Mayoral Combined Authority’s declaration of a Climate Emergency last year, Mayor Jarvis also underlines the importance of putting the environment and sustainability at the heart of future investment.
The submissions comes after significant progress has been made on the South Yorkshire devolution deal, which is currently open to public consultation. The deal brings £30m a year for economic growth, as well as full control over the adult education budget of circa £35m per year.
Pointing to the benefits of devolution, the Mayor asks the Chancellor to deliver certainty on the successor fund to the Local Growth Fund (LGF) with an immediate investment at the current level of £75m for 2021/22, rising to £150m per annum for the following five years.
The Local Growth Fund has enabled the Sheffield City Region to deliver transformational projects across the region, including support to the Grey to Green scheme in Sheffield; the regeneration of the Wool Market in Doncaster; the creation of the new Gulliver’s resort in Rotherham and the new Glass Works town centre development in Barnsley.
