Leeds City Region

[Skychaser 2005]

Originally Posted by Aaronj09

Eh, not really. Just because these places fall within Leeds City Council doesn't mean they're a part of Leeds. These places are only within the Leeds boundary because they cannot govern themselves, like Ilkley falls within Bradford's boundaries, despite the two being completely different in all possible aspects. I think it's a tad silly saying places like Otley are in Leeds, they're dependent on Leeds, but places like Watford are dependent on London, but are obviously not a part of it. It's called satellite towns, they do exist.

Ok, lets say you are right about Otley, and they see themselves as not part of Leeds, thats 14,000 people out of near 800,000. Using your logic, lets even say Wetherby is separate from Leeds, that another 12,000. Thats 26,000.

You can't dispute that any other area is not now in Leeds. So pop is around 770,000!!

[wiggleyleeds]

just to point out,

the 440 thousand figure is the Leeds urban subdivision, which is just the static historic area that was the Leeds county borough - before it expanded in the 70s to include areas of urban continuity with Leeds that are now very much considered Leeds, such as pudsey. the urban subdivision means very little today and is not reflective of Leeds.

the PUA is about 700,000 and means the entire urban area that is joined to Leeds city centre. its the closest approximation as to what most people in Leeds call Leeds. it basically excludes all the separately detached places like garforth or otley.

places like morley where I live are no different to any other suburb. it takes me 6 minutes to get to the city centre by train or car and I pass no fields. morley has a historic town council that is just that, historic. the morley borough independents are not councillors fighting for independence but are councillors who are independent of any of the other parties.

[Skychaser 2005]

Originally Posted by wiggleyleeds

just to point out,

the 440 thousand figure is the Leeds urban subdivision, which is just the static historic area that was the Leeds county borough - before it expanded in the 70s to include areas of urban continuity with Leeds that are now very much considered Leeds, such as pudsey. the urban subdivision means very little today and is not reflective of Leeds.

the PUA is about 700,000 and means the entire urban area that is joined to Leeds city centre. its the closest approximation as to what most people in Leeds call Leeds. it basically excludes all the separately detached places like garforth or otley.

places like morley where I live are no different to any other suburb. it takes me 6 minutes to get to the city centre by train or car and I pass no fields. morley has a historic town council that is just that, historic. the morley borough independents are not councillors fighting for independence but are councillors who are independent of any of the other parties.

nicely put wiggleyleeds. Cities expand and grow, and just because our city fathers in the 1970's had a clever vision to expand the city and grow its borders, then certain forumers seem to think it hasent happened, trying to justify a city boundary area which is much smaller than it is today.

Like you say, Morley, Pudsey, Horsforth etc have all totally integrated into the City of Leeds. As I said in my earlier post, if you take out Otley/Wetherby as perhaps the most "defiant" of suburbs to accept they are in Leeds, then the pop is still well over 700,000 based on latest estimates.

[Cherguevara]

Originally Posted by Skychaser 2005

nicely put wiggleyleeds. Cities expand and grow, and just because our city fathers in the 1970's had a clever vision to expand the city and grow its borders, then certain forumers seem to think it hasent happened, trying to justify a city boundary area which is much smaller than it is today.

Like you say, Morley, Pudsey, Horsforth etc have all totally integrated into the City of Leeds. As I said in my earlier post, if you take out Otley/Wetherby as perhaps the most "defiant" of suburbs to accept they are in Leeds, then the pop is still well over 700,000 based on latest estimates.

The expansion of Leeds was nothing to do with "city fathers" and everything to do with the desire of central government to rationalise the structure of local government by getting rid of smaller authorities such as municipal boroughs and urban district councils.

[Skychaser 2005]

Originally Posted by Cherguevara

The expansion of Leeds was nothing to do with "city fathers" and everything to do with the desire of central government to rationalise the structure of local government by getting rid of smaller authorities such as municipal boroughs and urban district councils.

The council at the time had a huge consultation process to decide how wide those boundaries could go, and which areas would be included in the new area.

[Cherguevara]

They may have had a consultation, but the decisions were parliament's alone. If the government had have wanted Leeds to have 14 people on a campsite in Hyde Park then that's what Leeds would have had. There was nothing 'clever' about it. Leeds, like everywhere else got what it was given. It grew because the area that is now West Yorks was packed with towns and villages too small to run themselves.

[LNGCats]

The Leeds PUA is 596k.

No idea why having a large local authority is a good thing.

Other than meaning the decision making moves further from the population in an already democratically deficient country.

and yes, I do think anywhere over about 350k is probably too large and should be split in half in my simcity world.

[Aaronj09]

Originally Posted by LNGCats

The Leeds PUA is 596k.

No idea why having a large local authority is a good thing.

Other than meaning the decision making moves further from the population in an already democratically deficient country.

and yes, I do think anywhere over about 350k is probably too large and should be split in half in my simcity world.

I tend to agree, if Leeds local authority was smaller and only covered the actually city, it wouldn't lose any benefits, the people of Otley and and Wetherby would still commute and shop in Leeds.

[LNGCats]

In my SimCity world I'd probably break Leeds down smaller than that. Probably a central authority and then a northern and a southern authority (for the urban area).

Those three authorities would then share a powerful mayor and have a powerful committee (made up of councillors from each authority) that had significant powers over cross authority issues such as housing, transport etc.

The central authority, although having very low population, would be responsible for development of the economic core.

Each non-central authorities may be about 300,000 - but I think that would be much better for democracy and may improve interest from Joe Public in what their councils are up to.

As I say though - total SimCity dreamtime.

[theboyer]

In terms of city planning I think it is advantageous that Leeds' boundaries are wide reaching. This is because it helps prevent neighbouring authorities giving planning permission to developments which don't fit into a city plan but are just outside the Leeds boundary.

As an example (not near Leeds I'm afraid) I would give the case to the south of Lincoln where North Kesteven district council is the planning authority but the should most definitely be considered Lincoln. This seems to result in loads of developments being built in areas which don't have good accessibility to Lincoln (particularly in terms of public transport) undermining efforts to have joined up planning at the city wide level. This also means planning policies more suited to a rural environment being applied to a suburban area.

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorks...news_section=5
Minister for Cities 'positive for Leeds'
22nd July 2011

By James Reed
Deputy Editor, Yorkshire

THE chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has welcomed the appointment of a Government Minister dedicated to growing the economy of eight major cities.

Greg Clark is the new Minister for Cities charged with supporting the growth of cities including Leeds and Sheffield.

Neil McLean, chairman of the Leeds City Region LEP board, said: “We are looking forward to working with the Minister for Cities to make sure that our priorities and vision for a strong economy are clearly reflected in the Government’s plan for growth.

"The Minister’s approach to the role of cities in economic regeneration aligns very well with the Partnership’s vision and plan and going forward we see the Minister for Cities playing a key role in helping us deliver this plan.”

The Leeds LEP hopes Mr Clark will provide a way of raising the issues facing the city region directly with Government.

The Partnership’s plan of action will be announced in September at the Leeds City Region LEP Summit, which will bring together hundreds of private and public sector professionals to discuss and debate the future of the city region economy.

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...gion_1_3626324
Surprise property hot spot identified in region
Friday 29 July 2011 06:00

A STUDY to pinpoint locations which have weathered the property slump has named the Selby district as among the nation’s most desirable places to buy to avoid tumbling house prices.

Researchers from the international property firm, Savills, have carried out a detailed look at which areas of England and Wales have managed to survive the falling prices which have blighted the market since the credit crunch.

The Selby area was named as the 20th most desirable location to live in the Unsung Property Heroes study, with the amount of homes being bought and sold remaining at 59 per cent of the 2007 peak – compared to a national average of 54 per cent.

Property experts admitted that the North Yorkshire district is a surprise inclusion, but its excellent transport links and a major programme of investment in the centre of Selby itself have helped boost its reputation.

The head of residential research at Savills, Lucian Cook, said: “The study has thrown up some surprises, but we wanted to try and get a clear picture of what is going on across the country.

“There are big regional variations across the country, but this was about finding which areas have maintained a high transaction level.

“This gives us an indication of where is the best places to look at buying in England and Wales to avoid falling prices.

“Property prices are not expected to rise significantly in the near future, but that should not detract from the fact that people will want to move house.

“This study gives information about the places where it would be best to look towards buying to try to ensure that prices do not suddenly fall dramatically.”

The research compared the current property market with a peak in 2007 before the credit crunch hit.

The study avoided focusing on some of the most renowned property hotspots, such as Kensington and Chelsea in London and many parts of the South-East.

It instead homed in on the more affordable areas of the housing market throughout England and Wales and compiled the list by analysing data from the Land Registry.

Researchers at Savills have stressed that the locations which were studied are the places where both prices and transaction levels, or the amount of homes being sold, remain resilient.

York and the Craven district have both been named in the top 25 locations which outperformed national averages for house prices and transaction levels.

York was ranked in eighth position with transactions levels remaining at 61 per cent of their 2007 peak and an average property price of £192,233.

Craven was placed in 12th spot, with transactions levels at 60 per cent of their 2007 height, and an average property costing £192,233 in the district.

The average cost of a property in the Selby district was £174,424, while the national average was £166,764.

The leader of Selby District Council, Coun Mark Crane, maintained that the authority’s drive to bring investment into the area had been instrumental in bolstering the local property market.

He said: “It’s great to see that confidence in Selby is high. We already know that Selby’s a great place to live – it’s got a lot to offer, for everyone.

“One of our priorities recently has been to work alongside businesses to encourage them to invest in our area – and that confidence in what we have to offer seems to be reflected in the housing market too.

“Indeed, we’ve seen significant investment in the district, with the development of a new industrial plant at Selby and plans for a new national distribution centre and new bus manufacturing plant soon to open in the district.

“All in all, it really shows that Selby is doing well – something we’re proud of and something we’ll continue to work hard to support.”

Ben Pridden, who is based at the Savills office in York, claimed the Selby district’s excellent road and rail network had made it a prime location for house-hunters.

Heritage, including Selby’s 1,000-year-old abbey, and the chance to live in a rural setting in villages such as Wistow, North Duffield and Cawood had also allowed the prices to hold up during the economic downturn.

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.leedscityregionsummit2011.com/

An economic vision for the City Region will be unveiled by the LCR LEP in September at the LCR conference. It's free and open to all stakeholders I believe.

A one-day conference to debate the future of the Leeds City Region economy

Leeds City Region is the largest economy and population centre outside London.

With a population of 3 million, 100,000 businesses and an economy bigger than nine European countries, it has a major role to play in the UK’s economic recovery and future prosperity.

This free conference will launch the Leeds City Region LEP’s ambitious agenda for economic growth, and provide a unique opportunity to debate the future of the city region economy with leading businesses, politicians, regional and national stakeholders.
Offering hard-hitting debates, panel discussions and opportunities to influence the LEP’s economic priorities, the Leeds City Region LEP Summit 2011 is a must-attend event for anyone with an interest in local enterprise partnerships and the city region economy. Book now

To find out more about the Leeds City Region LEP, visit www.leedscityregion.gov.uk

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...bank_1_3751920
Yorkshire bid to woo Ministers in fight for eco-bank
Thursday 8 September 2011 06:00

Ministers will be urged today to choose Yorkshire over London as the location for the world’s first dedicated green investment bank.

The Leeds city region is launching its bid to host the institution that the Government hopes will help pay for Britain’s transition to a non-polluting economy.

The bank is only likely to create 100 jobs, although supporters say it will have “iconic” value as the Government accelerates its green agenda.

But Leeds faces strong competition from counter bids from rivals including London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol and backers hope that they can convince Ministers of the city region’s merits.

The decision, to be taken by Business Secretary Vince Cable, will be a vital test of the Government’s stated commitment to rebalance the UK economy away from London and the South East.

The growing North-South divide is the subject of the Yorkshire Post campaign to demand a fair deal on funding, investment and opportunities for the region.

Business leaders in Yorkshire will promote the Leeds city region as the perfect location for the bank, as it would be close to major low-carbon investment opportunities.

They will point to the strong track record of existing projects such as the carbon capture and storage pilot at Hatfield Colliery, the forthcoming offshore windfarm manufacturing plant at Hull, one of Europe’s largest biomass-fired power stations at Drax near Selby and electric transport infrastructure in the North East.

Supporters will also highlight the wealth of financial talent in Leeds, the leading centre outside London for professional services, and the existing environmental know-how of C02 Sense Yorkshire, the not-for-profit company that supports and invests in green businesses, and the region’s universities. And they will say that the city region can trump rival centres on value for money.

Supporters including the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership; the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; engineering consultancy Arup; and coalition MPs will launch their business case today at an event in Leeds with Business Minister Mark Prisk.

Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, said Yorkshire can demonstrate “huge capability” in low-carbon infrastructure, which combined with financial and environmental expertise “gives us a huge advantage”.

He said locating the bank in the city region would “make sense both for rebalancing the economy but also for the country as a whole because Leeds really can make a difference”.

Mr Smith added: “We have to fight to ensure we get investment and we get our fair share of money from Europe and the Government.”

Mr Cable has said the bank should be close to private sector financiers, such as commercial banks, private equity houses and institutional investors, a requirement that could lead him to choose London ahead of rivals.

But Greg Mulholland, the Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, said the main bank should be located in the Leeds city region with an outpost in the City of London. He said locating the entire organisation in London would be a “lost opportunity”.

Mr Mulholland said: “It’s very important in these economic times for the Government with opportunities to really invest to regenerate certain parts of the country.

“We are all aware that the North has suffered more than some of the regions and while Leeds itself has continued to do well it certainly would be a boost, not just for the economy of the city region and indeed for Yorkshire, but also for the whole of the North of England.”

The Government’s criteria includes proximity to project sponsors, such as utility and waste firms, specialist advisors and influential green thinkers. It also wants ease of access to talent in financial and environmental services and competitive commercial costs.

[Leeds No.1]

A bit of news on the Green Investment Bank, and an accompanying website where you can pledge support:

Media Release
1 December 2011

A cross party delegation of Leeds City Region MPs united yesterday to present the
key strengths of the Leeds City Region bid to host the world’s first Green Investment
Bank to Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills... more

http://www.greenbanklcr.org.uk/

[Yorkshire Boy]

Thanks for sharing that LN1, I have pledged my support!

[Electric_City]

Cities bid to widen devolved powers

Published on Saturday 7 January 2012 06:00

SWEEPING new devolved powers over transport, job creation and infrastructure projects designed to boost the economies of Yorkshire's two largest cities will be extended to cover great swathes of the region, it has emerged.

Leeds and Sheffield City Councils have revealed their forthcoming bids to Whitehall for devolved powers under Nick Clegg's much-trumpeted "city deals" agenda are to be widened to incorporate their respective city region areas.

This means the powers would also encompass Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees, Calderdale, York and parts of North Yorkshire in Leeds's case; and Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley and parts of the East Midlands in Sheffield's.

The move represents a significant departure from the Deputy Prime Minister's original policy proposal last month, which envisaged devolving powers simply to eight "core cities" as the key drivers of economic growth.

Leeds and Sheffield were the only two cities in Yorkshire to be included, sparking concern that other areas could be left behind.

But the chief executives at Yorkshire's two largest cities have now made it clear their bids will stretch far beyond their own local authority boundaries, to drive growth across the wider economic area.

"Leeds could have gone down the road of just taking on these powers itself, and it's been an active choice that (council leader) Keith Wakefield has made to say any powers we get in Leeds, we want for the city region, not just for the city," said Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council. "I think that's very significant."

"What we want is very clear and distinct cities, and governance of those cities, through our political leadership – we will bat for Leeds in Leeds, Bradford will do the same in Bradford, and so will Wakefield and so will Kirklees.

"However, on certain issues it makes absolute sense for us to work together – and transport and skills are the most obvious ones.

Boundaries on the lines of maps don't matter to commuters and people in the labour market."

"It's a far-sighted thing for the political leaders to do because it gives us the potential to get a much bigger bang for our buck."

The Government has said it wants each "city deal" agreed as quickly as possible, with the individual agreements to be tailored dependant on local needs.

Yesterday the Yorkshire Post revealed that one of the key demands from the Leeds city region will be control over a 10-year funding pot for transport schemes, allowing council leaders to prioritise the most important schemes and borrow money for further long-term investment.

York Council leader James Alexander said cities such as Leeds and York are "co-dependent" and that improving transport links would therefore be a high priority for the entire city region area.

And Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood said it was "right" for neighbouring authorities to work together in this way, as different cities should not have different powers made available to them.

"We have always looked to work with colleagues across the region, so that we can move forward together," he said. Sheffield City Council said it will be taking a similar approach when it agrees its own ‘city deal' with Whitehall over the coming months, incorporating the rest of the city region into the proposal.

Chief executive John Mothersole said: "Obviously some individual measures, such as driving airport-related business, will be geography-specific.

"But the whole approach here is that the city region economy improves together.

"We have got Leeds city region and Sheffield city region in effect marching forward together, but doing different deals to get there in different ways."

Yorkshire Post

[Leeds No.1]

That sounds better. My worry is that this will go hand in hand with the City Mayors referenda. I know officially the two are unconnected, but in reality one will support the other and vice versa surely?

This is good news, but how are we going to secure a yes vote for the mayor..

[Skychaser 2005]

Best chance of NGT happening, and a real welcome move if the Govt agrees to it so at last we can take control of major infrastructure projects taking powers away from Whitehall.

[Leeds No.1]

If we get those powers, I'd probably like to see a phased Supertram brought back over NGT.