North Wales Assembly Member and Shadow Secretary for the North Wales Growth Deal, Mark Isherwood, has called on the Welsh Government to respond to a report developed by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board setting out a ‘growth vision’ for the region, with aims of creating 120,000 jobs and boosting the value of the local economy to £20bn by 2035.
The plans were backed by the region’s six Council Leaders over the summer, and the document is supported by business, University and college leaders.
Speaking in this week’s Business Statement, Mr Isherwood, said North Wales needs to hear from the Welsh Government how it proposes to respond to the report and take forward the plans.
He said: “Shortly before recess, your colleague, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, replied to me in the Chamber that ‘We very much hope that the growth deal bid will be submitted in full as a proposal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of this month.’ That is, July.
“In response to the UK Government announcement in March that it was opening the door to a growth deal for North Wales and would be looking to the next Welsh Government to devolve powers to the region as part of any future deal, you’ll be aware that a Growth Vision report, signed by all six north Wales council leaders, its university leaders, its college leaders and its business leaders, has been submitted to both the UK and the Welsh Governments, beginning that this is a single, joined-up vision for economic and employment growth for North Wales.
“They say in their accompanying letter they are keen to pursue the invitation of the UK Government for North Wales to open discussions over a growth bid for the region, and the formal presentation of the vision is the first major step towards making a growth bid - which, again, needs clarification, given the Minister’s referral to a bid by the end of July.
“This report says that devolving powers over employment, taxes, skills and transport to North Wales would boost the economy, jobs and productivity, create at least 120,000 jobs, and boost the value of the local economy from £12.8 billion to £20 billion by 2035. This is big, and North Wales needs to hear from the Welsh Government how it proposes to respond and take this forward.”
In her response the Leader of the House and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, said: “The Cabinet Secretary is closely engaged with this. We await the new Chancellor’s response to, indeed, the Northern Powerhouse and how those developments are going to be taken forward by the UK Government, but we think it’s an opportunity for us to say today, ‘We urge the UK Government to approve the North Wales Growth Deal.’”
Mr Isherwood added: “This report was submitted to the Welsh Government too and the UK Government need to know the Welsh Government’s response. People in North Wales need the Welsh Government to explain the apparently misleading July statement by the Minister for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, and to respond clearly to our region’s calls on them regarding matters for which they, and not the UK Government, are responsible. Simply passing the buck to the UK Government again is reprehensible.”