Sheffield Chamber welcomes Barnsley and Doncaster comments on Devolution Deal

20th January 2017

Richard Wright, Executive Director of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the comments from Sir Stephen Houghton and Ros Jones CBE on devolution.

He said: -I am grateful that both Stephen and Ros have committed unequivocally to the Devolution Deal for Sheffield City Region and acknowledged that a Yorkshire LEP is both a distraction and unrealistic at this time.  "We have so much to gain as a region for everybody who lives here by working together and focusing on the task in front of us. We should all be proud of where we live, but we should also be proud of achieving collective economic success.  "If you really analyse what has happened we have achieved much together as a region. Look at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, i-port, Markham Vale, the Advanced Manufacturing Park, three UTCs, HS2 stopping in both Chesterfield and Sheffield, the growth of the visitor economy encompassing the Peak District, the Outdoor City, the Olympic Legacy Park and many others. "Sheffield Chamber is committed to the collective good and will work tirelessly to achieve it. We have a massive opportunity to do things differently. Let's grab that opportunity and make it happen together. "We must start by working together to finalise the Devolution Deal which means we must get on with the consultation in Chesterfield as quickly as possible. -I want all the authorities in North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire that are in Sheffield City Region to know that we, at Sheffield Chamber, value them as a member of our regional economy. -This doesn't mean they will no longer be part of Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire but recognises that Sheffield City Region is a clear economic single entity that can compete in world markets and we have a symbiotic relationship with each other."