North Yorkshire 'devolution key to attracting more young people'

Devolved powers are "urgently needed" so North Yorkshire can shape its own future after a report found a missing generation of young people there.

The loss of young people who no longer live or work in the county has left a £1.4bn hole in the local economy, the Rural Commission report said.

It blamed a lack of affordable housing and employment opportunities for the absence of people aged under 45.

The Dean of Ripon, John Dobson, said devolution would make a difference.

The report found 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.

The Dean, who is chairman of the Rural Commission, said: "People in that age group can't afford to live here, there's not the same employment opportunities for them and digital connectivity is a major issue."

He said devolution would be a "game changer" so the county had the powers to make decisions on key issues such as education, transport infrastructure and economic investment.

"Our concern is that national government, as helpful as it wants to be, will always find it difficult to prioritise rural areas.

"What we're saying is, actually, rural areas deserve investment and North Yorkshire can offer the country much if it is invested in."

The independent commission, the first of its kind, wants to protect the area's beauty while finding new ways of living.

Half the county is in a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

On the back of its findings, it has called for an advisory panel to be established including people from the public and private sectors, representatives from rural business, banking and industry, as well as academics and those with scientific expertise, to take forward its recommendations.

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