Headline initiatives

These are the ‘game changers’ that will help us make real progress towards achieving our vision and support ‘good growth’ across the region.

Across the Strategic Economic Plan, we have identified a set of Headline Initiatives and action areas that sit under our four priorities. These are the vital developments we want to see delivered – or well on the way to delivery – over the next 10 years.

The headline initiatives are the large scale ‘game changers’ that will make sure we can make real progress towards achieving West Yorkshire's vision. They address key, evidence-based issues and opportunities, span all four priorities of this strategy and will support the principle of ‘good growth’.

These initiatives will be delivered through a wide range of partners, including and going well beyond the Combined Authority, and utilising local, national and European funding sources.

Priority 1: Growing Business

Headline initiatives:

  • Implement coordinated and wide ranging action to radically increase innovation
  • Become a global digital centre – with specialisms in data storage, analytics, digital health and tech skills
  • Boost business growth, productivity, exports and investment by linking businesses to support and funding, including through the Business Growth Service, skills service and trade and investment programme

Action initiatives:

  1. Business Growth Service 
  2. Innovation
  3. Access to finance
  4. Digital
  5. Supply chain development
  6. Enterprise
  7. Trade and investment
Priority 2: Skilled People, Better Jobs

Headline initiatives:

  • Deliver a ‘more jobs, better jobs’ programme to widen employment, skills, apprenticeships and progression opportunities, linked to NEET-free goals
  • Devise and deliver a programme of action to increase high level skills and close the gap to UK average

Action initiatives:

  1. More and better apprenticeships
  2. Great education, connected to business
  3. Employability, access to jobs and realising potential
  4. Building workforce skills and attracting talent
  5. Addressing skills gaps and shortages
Priority 3: Clean Energy and Environmental Resilience

Headline initiatives:

  • Targeted investments and innovation to make the city region a leading-edge centre for zero carbon energy
  • Make climate change adaptation and high quality green infrastructure integral to improving the city region economy and its spatial priority areas

 Action initiatives:

  1. New energy generation
  2. Resource efficient businesses
  3. Energy efficiency and empowering consumers
  4. Green infrastructure
Priority 4: Infrastructure For Growth

Headline initiatives:

  • Deliver 30+ West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund schemes and make progress towards a single ‘metro style’ public transport network, connected to major national/northern schemes such as HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail
  • Develop and regenerate integrated spatial priority areas, supporting employment, quality environments and the building of 10,000-13,000 new homes per year
  • Develop an integrated flood risk reduction programme, incorporating flood defences, green infrastructure and resilient development

Action initiatives:

  1. Integrated spatial priority areas: Urban Growth Centres, Housing Growth Areas, Employment Growth Areas.
  2. Transport infrastructure and services
  3. Integrated flood risk reduction
  4. Digital infrastructure