Best feet have been put forward on the path towards a county deal for Hull and East Yorkshire while maximising the Humber’s economic ambition.
Following Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove’s white paper reveal of the two key elements for the region, Hull University Chancellor Baroness Virginia Bottomley hosted a dinner in the House of Commons.
It was arranged to explore the announcement, made after Mr Gove visited Grimsby and Hull in the run-up to launch day.
Read more: Opportunity Humber: Reaction from across the estuary to Levelling Up move
As reported, Reckitt chief executive Laxman Narisimham is to head up the private-sector led Opportunity Humber board, working alongside the four local authorities and two local enterprise partnerships.
Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce vice president Mike Whitehead attended alongside Daren Hale and Jonathan Owen, respective leaders of Hull City and East Riding councils, MPs Dame Diana Johnson, Sir Greg Knight, Graham Stuart and Andrew Percy as well as Hull and East Yorkshire LEP chair James Newman, Yorkshire and Humber CBI director Beckie Hart, FSB area leader Gareth Alexander and Arco chair Thomas Martin.
He said: “This new business-led pan-Humber body is warmly welcomed by the Chamber and the ‘County Deal’ on offer for the two North Bank councils is the most pragmatic agreed way forward for local government.”
He went on to point out that nationally The British Chambers of Commerce had now told Mr Gove of the Hull and Humber Chamber’s support for the Opportunity Humber initiative, adding that “it was good to see that many internationally-significant Humber-based businesses are involved and that we are delighted that all of them are active Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce members".
The Chamber said all of the MPs and stakeholders at the meeting pledged their support for Opportunity Humber and the County Deal.
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