Member Article

Lancashire and Yorkshire must join Powerhouse revolution

Melanie Christie, North West Regional Director of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) hears Osborne’s call for progress.

It is clear that the Chancellor isn’t going to accept anything but an elected mayor in Manchester and our friends over in Yorkshire who have rejected the idea really do need to think again.

Manchester is leading the way here and others can now follow. Lancashire also needs to take the opportunity to knock at the open door that George Osborne kept referring to, but they need to quickly agree to form a combined authority and agree to an elected mayor otherwise they will be left behind.

If we want a true Northern Powerhouse then all the areas of the north must seize the opportunity and quickly.

Lancashire has long displayed a lack of cohesion as a county region at a political level and fails to deliver a compelling tale of how much Lancashire offers. The county needs to come together quickly otherwise it will find itself side lined in the devolution drive.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Souter .