Monthly column for February by David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire – originally published by The Press.

My vision is for York and North Yorkshire to be made up of healthy and thriving communities that are connected to opportunity.

Devolution is giving us the tools to do this, and that includes fresh investment and new powers. A big talking point in recent weeks has been around the possibility of Government granting Mayors the power to introduce a visitor levy for their area. I’m personally backing this idea.

York and North Yorkshire is an amazing place to visit and welcomes over 25 million visitors a year. As a business owner myself, I know the huge value of tourism in our area to many businesses. A modest visitor levy, which in my view must also apply to AirBnBs and other short-term holiday lets, can bring the benefits we see in most European cities, increasing the available investment to improve services that residents rely on, such as transport. In my view, as Mayors take on more responsibilities, we’ll need more investment to ensure we can provide the best quality services and deliver for our residents.

I see it as something that could impact the whole region. Take our coastal areas, as an example, which boast huge numbers of visitors every year – imagine the good that could be done here. Extra investment generated by a visitor levy could be transformative.

However, should this happen, it must be done in an open and transparent way. I have talked previously about meeting and listening to people across our region and this is something else, we wouldn’t do on our own. For devolution to work best, we need to work together, understanding our regions challenges to ensure whatever the outcome it benefits our region, allowing communities and businesses to thrive.

Challenge Funds launched

Some challenges are already evident and where the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority already has devolved powers and funds, we’re seeking to tackle these. The knowledge and insight from talking to people has been invaluable and, as such, has helped to shape several challenge funds worth up to £27.5 million. Launched last week, these funds will make a real difference to our communities now, and into the future by driving innovation and change, delivering on my vision and supporting our local economy to grow.

The Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund, Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, Skills Innovation Fund and Business Innovation Fund have all been designed to overcome major challenges and encourage growth.

York and North Yorkshire has a unique set of challenges due to our rural, urban and coastal setting. Yet our people are our greatest strength. I want to support the innovation, talent and collaborative spirit that we possess as a region to find the right solutions. My ambition for the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund is to give those who are passionate about where they live the opportunity to access funds that will benefit their high streets and communities, whether through increased activity, footfall, or other economic and social opportunities. This is an addition to the Mayoral ‘Great Places’ funding support of £1.5million for North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council. Local communities across over 30 locations in York and North Yorkshire will benefit from this funding which is designed to influence future proposals for regeneration and investment.

Carbon negative ambition

Our region’s businesses, homes and infrastructure have seen the impact of climate change first hand through flooding, storms and extreme weather. My vision as Mayor clearly sets out our target of reaching net zero by 2034, and then to become England’s first carbon-negative region by 2040. This is important. Our strengths as a region with a large rural area means that in striving for our carbon negative ambition will not only protect our environment but will also create investment opportunities that in turn will lead to a stronger economy and higher paid jobs. The Carbon Negative Challenge Fund welcomes applications which can support this ambition and builds on £10 million already committed through the Combined Authority for other related projects in our region.

Our Skills Innovation Fund aims to increase numbers of adult learners, build capacity in our skills providers, improve teaching facilities and develop more flexible courses. Again, this is vital to ensure that our residents can benefit and capture the opportunities that come with growth in the region. Finally, the Business Innovation Fund will launch next month. This is all about taking our innovative businesses further creating the right conditions to attract new investment.

Everything I do as Mayor is to ensure that devolution delivers for the people of York and North Yorkshire. We are an incredible region, with so much potential. I am proud to be your champion and I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact that these funds will have for communities across our region.

Full details of the Mayoral Challenge Funds are available on the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority website here. 

Published on Thursday 13 February 2025