Thousands Of Jobs And Billions In Investment Targeted In Pro-Growth Drive For The East Riding

A major drive to attract businesses and secure investment in the East Riding aims to deliver more jobs, higher productivity, and stronger communities across the region.

More jobs, stronger communities, and better prospects for families will be the focus of a renewed economic drive across the East Riding.

Enhanced digital networks, ready-to-go industrial sites, and stronger infrastructure will form the foundation of this push to attract major employers to the region and boost local supply chains.

Addressing a full council meeting, East Riding Council leader Councillor Anne Handley outlined a clear intention to bring more firms into the county. She explained that the area already boasts a strong track record, with major global companies recently choosing to locate their operations locally.

Highlighting the impact of recent economic successes, Councillor Handley said:

"Over the past few years, inward investment work has helped deliver around 40 projects, 3.2 billion pound of investment and over 8,000 jobs.

Recent investments from Amazon, Siemens, mobility, and Smith & Nephew demonstrate the strengths we have here.

We have skilled people, strong transport links, established industrial capability. I am clear that we must be ambitious and unapologetically pro-growth.

Our job is to remove barriers, open doors and make sure investors see East Riding as a place where things can and do happen."

The economic strategy relies heavily on collaboration between different sectors, ensuring that any new developments directly benefit residents. By working alongside colleges, businesses, and investors, the aim is to boost productivity and secure long-term resilience.

Emphasising the importance of modern connectivity and teamwork, Councillor Handley stated:

"Digital growth is also part of the picture, with enhanced 5G and Wi-Fi networks now sitting alongside roads, power, premises, and utilities as basic requirements for investment.

Our growth plans focus on what investors need, stronger infrastructure, ready-to-go sites, better connectivity, utilities capacity, and long-term resilience.

Most importantly, investment must benefit local people. It must support those longer supply chains, higher productivity, more good jobs, and better prospects for our residents and businesses.

Partnership is central to unlocking that investment. And when councils, businesses, colleges, investors, and communities all pull in the same direction, East Riding is at its strongest."

Council officials believe that a proactive approach is essential for securing future prosperity. Rather than waiting for opportunities to arise, the focus is on actively competing on a national level to attract top-tier businesses.

Detailing the region's readiness to compete, Councillor Handley told the meeting:

"East Riding is not standing still. We are backing ambition, attracting investment and making it clear that this area is ready to compete, ready to deliver, and ready to lead.

Inward investment, it's about jobs for our residents, confidence for our businesses, stronger community and a more prosperous future for East Riding.

East Riding has the land, the skills, the infrastructure, the industrial strength, and the local determination to be one of the most attractive places in the country to invest."

The core philosophy behind the drive is that financial investment must translate into tangible improvements for everyday life in the county.

Summarising the council's core strategy, Councillor Handley added:

"Our message is simple, and it is apolitical in the best sense: improving lives, driving growth, and working together.

Growth must mean better prospects for families, stronger supply chains for local firms, and confidence for communities that investment is working for them."

With established industrial capabilities and a growing workforce, local leaders are now urging prospective businesses to consider the region for their future expansion plans.

Delivering a direct pitch to potential investors, Councillor Handley concluded:

"East Riding is not going to sit back and hope the future comes to us. We will go out and we will win it with confidence, with partnership and with a clear belief in the potential of our people and our place.

To the businesses that already are investing here, we say thank you. To those considering where to grow, innovate and build for the future, our message is simple. Come and talk to us. You will find a council that is positive, practical, and ready to work with you.

East Riding has the energy, the ambition, and momentum to succeed. We are building a place where investment can land, businesses can grow and local people can share in the rewards.

Our task now is to keep that momentum moving, keep backing growth and keep making the case for East Riding. The message is clear, East Riding is open for business, ready for investment, and determined to deliver."