THE NEW North Yorkshire Council has pledged to support independent businesses when it comes to power next week.
Ahead of the launch of the unitary council on April 1, a senior members of North Yorkshire County Council has said support for businesses is to continue amid soaring inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
Cllr Derek Bastiman, the county council’s executive member for open to business, said there have been “unprecedented challenges in recent years which have placed huge pressures on all businesses”, but urged businesses that the new authority will help support those feeling the strain.
“The new council will, however, provide us with an opportunity to bring together the experience, expertise and good practice that already exists across all the authorities in North Yorkshire,” he said.
“This will mean that there will be one point of contact for businesses to access support for skills, training, recruitment and access to funding, which will be of a huge benefit at such a challenging time economically.”
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North Yorkshire Council will replace the county council and the existing seven district and borough authorities in the biggest shake-up of local government since 1974.
A county council spokesperson said North Yorkshire Council is developing a “clear economic growth strategy" while consulting with businesses and stakeholders across the county.
They added that the new council also hopes to achieve carbon negative status for York and North Yorkshire - meaning more carbon dioxide emissions would be removed from the atmosphere than are emitted.
The spokesperson said the strategy will support enterprise, innovation and investment, and will focus on new and emerging industries, such as green technologies, cyber and digital, finance and life sciences as well as tourism, food and drink manufacturing and engineering.
North Yorkshire currently has a total of 32,715 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and 90 large businesses.
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