Devolution is working in West Yorkshire. With greater powers and flexibilities, the journey of transformational change through strong partnerships is delivering impact. Devolved powers have allowed design approaches that are tailored to the unique needs of the region. Further and deeper devolution will strengthen this ability.
The challenges and opportunities set out in the Local Growth Plan are complex and mutually reinforcing, with interdependencies across all priorities.
The Combined Authority’s Performance Management Framework establishes the vision, governance and approach to managing performance for the Local Growth Plan. Its purpose is to transform the Combined Authority’s methods to provide clear, objective and transparent insight on impact.
The Framework confirms that the outcomes the Combined Authority monitors to measure success come from the West Yorkshire Plan. These indicators are formally reviewed on an annual basis through State of the Region reporting.
Monitoring indicators will be introduced against measurable actions, outputs and organisational outcomes associated with specific project delivery. These will be reviewed monthly through the Combined Authority’s Performance Board and quarterly through the Committee structure. The role played by Combined Authority to deliver on the priorities will be driven by evidence and based on the most effective means to reach the intended target. This includes where activity is commissioned, directly delivered, or supported.
The core principles that sit at the heart of the Local Growth Plan must cut across every priority. There will be activity that directly contributes towards the core principles, for example action to decarbonise homes, support business sustainability, or boost the number of people with skills for the green economy. Targeted activity to engage trusted voices and networks will ensure business support is understood and can be accessed by everyone, while good work will be proliferated and celebrated through the Fair Work Charter.
While not all activity will directly contribute towards the core principles, all interventions must demonstrate how they have been considered and whether they could inadvertently have an adverse impact. For example, all projects supported by the Combined Authority must complete a Carbon Impact Assessment alongside an Equality Impact Assessment.
Each Local Growth Plan priority is aligned to a set of delivery ambitions. These will be monitored for progress to determine the effectiveness of the Local Growth Plan. For some areas of action, detailed plans and strategies are already in place. Others will require focused work to shape the priorities into deliverable projects. What unites each area of work is the common framework and core principles which provide a focus for all the Combined Authority’s activity.
Progress monitoring will sit alongside a comprehensive programme of evaluation. The West Yorkshire Evaluation Strategy sets out the Combined Authority’s approach to evaluation. This will be applied to the Local Growth Plan initiatives.
An Outcomes Framework is under development setting out core outputs and outcomes with common definitions and metrics. The aim is to ensure a joined-up approach to monitoring and evaluation, helping to generate evidence of impact and insights into what works. This approach supports alignment between the strategic objectives set out on the Local Growth Plan and the outputs and outcomes measured across projects and programmes. Consistent monitoring and evaluation ensure the comparability of data and enable aggregation across associated workstreams, informing the development of meaningful insights that support informed decision making.
This sets out the core supporting strategies for the Local Growth Plan.
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Core supporting strategy |
Summary |
Timeframe |
| Mayor’s West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan | The West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan is a statutory document that assesses an area’s transport needs and challenges and sets out different ways in which to tackle those challenges. It guides all transport policy and investment in the region, setting the strategic direction for the future of transport across West Yorkshire, as well as the policies and investment that will help get there. Delivery of the Local Transport Plan is fundamental to the region’s growth ambitions, connecting residents and businesses to opportunities across the region. | The Local Transport Plan will be in place by March 2026. |
| Police and Crime Plan | The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan is a statutory document setting out the priorities for local policing and how they will be addressed. It plays an important role in supporting growth by ensuring that people are able to participate. | 2024-2028 |
| Climate and Environment Plan | The Climate and Environment Plan sets out how the Combined Authority can achieve ambitions to be a net zero region by 2038. It contains priority actions for the period 2025 to 2028. Sustainability is a core principle of the Local Growth Plan and transitioning to net zero presents an economic opportunity for the region. | Priority actions for 2025 – 2038 |
| Housing Strategy | The West Yorkshire Housing Strategy sets out the Combined Authority’s approach to offer good quality, truly affordable and adaptable housing across the region. It sets a strategic direction for housing delivery and improvement as part of a long-term framework to 2040. | The Housing Strategy provides a framework to 2040 |
| Digital Blueprint and Digital Skills Plan | The West Yorkshire Digital Blueprint sets out an approach to maximise the leading strengths of digital capabilities in West Yorkshire, attract investment for the sector and ensure people and businesses have the skills they need. | To 2030 |
| Local Nature Recovery Strategy | The Combined Authority is the responsible authority for the West Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy, agreeing priorities for nature recovery across the region. | Will be published in 2025 |
| Culture, Heritage and Sport Framework | The Culture, Heritage and Sport Framework has four themes of people, place, skills and business. Each theme covers areas where there will be investment, collaboration and brokerage activity. | 2025-2028 |
| Local Economic Strategies and supporting plans | Each local authority has a locally delivered strategy for economic growth. These local plans have informed development of the West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan. Local Area Energy Plans will translate national Net Zero targets into local energy system action. |
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Delivering the Local Growth Plan will add a further £26 billion in GVA and raise employment by 33,000 by the end of the period. It will halve the number of people in the region with low or no qualifications. It will lower the barriers faced by female and diverse founders to starting and growing their businesses It will change West Yorkshire’s growth trend so that it meets the UK average and closes the output gap within a generation. The Local Growth Plan is the start. Above all, West Yorkshire must be empowered to deliver for the long term. With a forensic focus on growth, a generational commitment and the ability to effect fundamental change, it can transform the prospects of everyone in the region and drive growth across the whole of the UK.
