Northern Leaders Letter
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telephone +44 (0)161 234 3004 Sir Richard Leese fax +44 (0)161 276 7546 Leader of the Council [email protected] Labour Member Representing the Crumpsall Ward Town Hall Manchester M60 2LA Our ref: RL/DD 21 July 2016 Rt Hon Theresa May MP Prime Minister 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA Sent via email Dear Prime Minister May we first of all congratulate you on your appointment and offer you our support in taking the country forward. In that context, our particular interest is in the future of the North of England. Over the last few years we have seen unprecedented co-operation in the North between local authorities and LEPs, across geographies and across party political boundaries. We have established Rail North, a partnership with every local transport authority across the North and North Midlands in membership, first of all to work with the Department for Transport on the re- tendering of the northern and transpennine rail franchises, and now, from an office in Leeds, to share in the management of those franchises. Building on work begun by our Northern cities, we have established a long-term vision for pan- northern transport links - passengers and freight, rail, road, ports and airports. This led to the creation of Transport for the North, now being established as a sub-national statutory body, and the Transport for the North Partnership Board, a vehicle for Northern local authorities and LEPs to work with DfT, Highways England, Network Rail and HS2 Ltd to develop that transport vision into a deliverable strategy. Through the Northern Independent Economic Review (N.I.E.R) we have agreed an economic narrative for the North with four prime capabilities, energy, digital industries, advanced manufacturing and health innovation, alongside three enabling capabilities, financial and professional services, logistics and (higher) education, which coupled with our natural assets, give us the base to build our future economy. Of course, as well as these pan-northern strengths, all parts of the north also have their own distinctive strengths. The N.I.E.R also identifies what we need to do to exploit these capabilities and build an economy that becomes a net contributor to UK plc. Above all we need to invest in transport, skills and innovation but we cannot do this without the support of Government. In transport we need HS2 to reach the North as soon as it can, supported by radically improved inter-city road and rail links across the region, and significant investment in local transport plans to ensure every part of the region can benefit from these improved transport links. We need to take, at Local Enterprise Partnership level, far greater control over the skills offer, to make sure we have a workforce attuned to the needs of a growing economy. Alongside transport and skills, we need investment amongst other things in research and in culture to help drive innovation. Over the last few years, and particularly since the 2015 General Election we have valued the ministerial support we have received in helping us achieve our vision for the North. We hope you will commit your government to continue to work with us and to provide the investment, subject of course to the strategic investment case being made, to make sure the North can achieve its economic, social and environmental potential. We are writing in similar terms to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Secretary of State for Transport, the Secretary of State for Education, and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Yours sincerely Sir Richard Leese Lord Chris Haskins Leader, Manchester City Council Chair, Humber LEP Sean Anstee Leader Trafford Council Grant Davey Leader Northumberland County Council Norma Redfern Mayor North Tyneside Council David Sheard Leader Kirklees Council Mark Crane Leader Selby District Council Andy Moorhead Leader Knowsley Council David Pidduck Leader Barrow Borough Council Bill Dixon Leader Darlington Borough Council Steve Houghton Leader Barnsley Council Peter Rankin Leader Preston City Council Ian Moran Leader West Lancashire Borough Council Christopher Akers-Belcher Leader Hartlepool Borough Council Kieran Quinn Leader Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Simon Blackburn Leader Blackpool Council Ian Maher Leader Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council Judith Blake Leader Leeds City Council Mike Blackburn Chair Greater Manchester LEP Jennifer Mein Leader Lancashire County Council Richard Farmell Leader Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council Miles Parkinson Leader Hyndburn Borough Council Mohammed Khan Leader Blackburn with Darwen Council Derek J Bastiman Leader Scarborough Borough Council Tim Swift Leader Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Martin McKervey Chair Sheffield City Region LEP Sue Jeffrey Leader Redcar and Cleveland Council Terry O'Neill Leader Warrington Borough Council Stewart Young Leader Cumbria County Council Mike Starkie Mayor Copeland Borough Council Edwin Booth Chair Lancashire LEP Phil Davies Leader Wirral Council Ray Oxby Leader North East Lincolnshire Council Christine Gaskell Chair Cheshire and Warrington LEP Bob Cook Leader Stockton Borough Council Rob Polhill Leader Halton Borough Council Glynn Jones Deputy Mayor Doncaster Council Peter Box Leader Wakefield Council Susan M Fazackerley Leader Fylde Borough Council Stephen Parnaby Leader East Riding of Yorkshire Council Paul Dennett City Mayor Salford Liz Redfern Leader North Lincolnshire Council Rachel Bailey Leader Cheshire East Council Simon Henig Leader Durham County Council Colin Glover Leader Carlisle City Council Chris Read Leader Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Alistair Bradley Leader Chorley Council Barrie Grunewald Leader St Helens Council Carl Les Leader North Yorkshire County Council Dave Budd Mayor Middlesbrough Council Samantha Dixon Leader Cheshire West and Chester Council Stuart A Hirst Leader Ribble Valley Borough Council George Beveridge Chair Cumbria LEP Cliff Morris Leader Bolton Council Jean Stretton Leader Oldham Council Nick Forbes Leader Newcastle City Council Linda Cowling Leader Ryedale District Council Stephen Brady Leader Hull City Council Alex Ganotis Leader Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Richard Foster Leader Craven District Council Barry Dodd Chair York & North Yorkshire with East Riding LEP Paul Booth Chair Tees Valley Unlimited LEP Alan Smith Leader Allerdale Borough Council Roger Marsh Chair Leeds City Region LEP Asif Hamid Interim Chair Liverpool City Region David Land Vice Chair North East LEP Peter Smith Leader Wigan Council David Carr Leader City of York Council Mark Robson Leader Hambleton District Council Yvonne Peacock Leader Richmondshire District Council Iain Malcolm Leader South Tyneside Council Susan Hinchcliffe Leader Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council Mark Townsend Leader Burnley Borough Council Eileen Blamire Leader Lancaster City Council Alyson Barnes Leader Rossendale Borough Council Joe Anderson Mayor Liverpool City Council Paul Watson Leader Sunderland City Council .