Corporate Plan 2023 - 24

Our vision is for a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all. I want our region to be healthier, happier and wealthier. A region that is better connected, with an affordable, reliable and efficient public transport network. A region that is safer and more sustainable. A region where equity, diversity and inclusion are present across all aspects of society.

This is a bold, long-term vision which will take a sustained effort to achieve over many years. Success will require working in partnership with our five local authorities, with the wider public sector, businesses, and community organisations. It will take hard work and a long-term commitment.

The Combined Authority’s business plan sets out how we will contribute to our vision over the next twelve months. The interventions we will deliver, the services we will offer, and the future plans we will develop.

• Moved into the delivery phase of our Safety of Women and Girls Strategy, which was approved in November 2022
• Created a new Violence Reduction Unit response strategy 2023. 14,000 young people under 25 and 900 people over 25 have been reached and engaged with
• Provided energy efficiency advice to 150 homes in one of the most deprived wards in Bradford, to support with the reduction of fuel poverty
• Supported 4,609 small and medium-sized enterprises through the Growth Service model. Of the businesspersons leading the enquiry, 24.2% were from a BAME background, 50.8% were female and 33.1% were located in the 20% most deprived parts of the country
• Supported 1,610 small and medium-sized enterprises intensively to help them build resilience and grow in response to the impacts of COVID-19, EU Exit and recent global events
• Supported 848 prestart-up and start-up businesses of which 60.9% were female, 36% were from an ethic minority background, and 11.9% were people with a disability
• Assisted 247 businesses with overseas trade initiatives, improving the export performance of the region and encouraging businesses to internationalise.
• Created 1,701 jobs and safeguarded 110 by securing investment in West Yorkshire

• Supported 336 businesses to engage with employment and skills programmes
• Supported 57,515 adults to upskill, re-train or access employment/self-employment
• Incorporated a carbon impact assessment into our assurance process. This allows us to publish the results of the carbon impact of existing schemes, in order for us to understand how we are building a carbon neutral region
• Supported 100 Creative and Cultural industries businesses, freelancers and microbusinesses to help drive growth and establish an ecosystem for creative businesses
• Enabled 1,771 new homes on brownfield land. Of the 1,771 homes achieving indicative approval in 2022–23 approx. 427 are anticipated to be affordable across a range of tenures
• Introduced Mayor’s fares on the bus network as a next step to franchising.
• Launched the Safer Parks guidance, responding to the issue that women are three times more likely than men to feel unsafe in a park, and suggesting many ways that design and management can help change this, addressing health inequalities and giving women and girls more freedom in our towns and cities.