POLITICAL leaders in North Yorkshire have been urged to capitalise on the prospect of delivering a wave of new jobs and improved education after a generation of young people has been lost in the county.

Young people in North Yorkshire have appealed for tangible benefits to be realised through a long-awaited deal with the Government for more decision-making powers and millions of pounds of extra funding to benefit hundreds of thousands of residents and workers.
A proposed devolution deal offers the chance to improve education and job opportunities, boost economic growth, provide better roads and public transport, and help tackle climate change.

The profound impact of an ageing population was laid bare in the findings of the North Yorkshire Rural Commission, which revealed that a lack of younger workers has left a £1.4bn financial hole in the county’s economy.

Young people currently living in the county said there needs to be greater emphasis on careers and education with the launch of the new North Yorkshire Council to pave the way for the devolution deal.

The report, which was published in July last year, estimated that if North Yorkshire had the same percentage of younger adults aged between 20 and 44 as the national average, there would be an additional 45,551 people living in the county.

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