Billion pound deal to create jobs and boost economic growth

A £1bn deal to create jobs and boost economic growth has been announced.

Thousands of jobs will be created in the Leeds City Region, a group of councils which includes Wakefield, after funding was secured from the government’s Local Growth Fund.

The cash includes £73m for projects including boost housing developments in Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds, York, Halifax and Skipton.

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Wakefield Council leader Peter Box said: “We have been lobbying hard for this for a very long time.

“We are glad that the government has now listened to our exceptionally strong case to put the financial power in our hands to drive our ambitions in a way that could be truly transformational for local growth.”

The funding for the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) includes cash for transport projects and £8m for the LEP’s Business Growth Programme, which has so far created 2,000 jobs.

Coun Box said: “All this could not and would not be possible without the very strong and powerful support we have received from our public and private sector partners and together we will work to forge a future of real prospects for our people and industries.”