Business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the region have been announced as members of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s newly created Business Board.

Following an extensive process, 13 volunteers have been recruited to the board to reflect the diversity across York and North Yorkshire, providing valuable knowledge and experience from across the region’s growth and core sectors.

Jane Colthup is one of the 13 who has been recruited to the Business Board.

Jane is the Chief Executive of Community First Yorkshire, focussed on improving the lives of people living in Yorkshire through attaining more thriving, connected, inclusive and sustainable communities. Community First Yorkshire is the local infrastructure organisation in North Yorkshire, championing and supporting the VCSE sector. As a member of the Action with Communities in Rural England network, Jane understands the issues facing rural communities and is keen to address inequalities.

Speaking about being appointed to the Business Board, Jane said: “I am thrilled by my appointment to the Business Board, and super keen that the 7,400 VCSE organisations, that are essentially small businesses, contribute to the growth of the York and North Yorkshire economy.

“With my rural hat on, I am also keen to ensure that our rural communities have the same opportunities for education, work, access to health care, transport and digital services as their more urban cousins. The Business Board’s focus on skills, housing, transport and the green economy means this is the perfect vehicle to bring everything together to improve our lovely region.”

Business Board Members

• Jennifer Wood – Chair, Co-Founder of O&3 Limited
• Caroline Bell, Joint Managing Director at Shepherds Purse Artisan Cheeses
• Jane Colthup, Chief Executive at Community First Yorkshire
• David Dickson, Chair at St Leonards Hospice
• Cherie Federico, Director at Aesthetica
• David Hall, VP of Power Systems at Schneider Electric
• Andy Hughes, AGH Engineering Limited
• David Kerfoot, Chair at Fix Our Food
• Nicola Kingswell, Scientific Director at Labskin Limited
• Rebecca Layton, Owner of Layton Hill Hotels
• Sam Leach, Co-Founder at Spark
• Andy Makin, Director at EnviroVent Limited
• Jessica Wright, Managing Director at Peel X

The Business Board will provide a strong and independent business voice for York and North Yorkshire, advising the Combined Authority and Mayor on strategy and policy to unlock its economic potential and stimulate growth and prosperity.

In response to UK Government’s proposed new National Industrial Strategy, the Business Board will oversee the development of the York and North Yorkshire Growth Plan.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire said: “I am delighted to welcome these outstanding individuals to the Business Board. We received a high volume of applications from some exceptional candidates, and it was a difficult decision to choose just 13.

“The Combined Authority has recently agreed draft strategic growth priorities for York and North Yorkshire. The strategic growth priorities will help to inform our Local Growth Plan which will launch in Spring 2025.

“The Business Board will have a key role to scrutinise and provide insight into the Local Growth Plan and how it will support emerging opportunities for growth that we are yet to fully realise. With new and emerging growth, it is important that we have the right plans in place to attract private sector investment in York and North Yorkshire and create more and better opportunities for people who live and do business here.

“My mission is to ensure that devolution delivers healthy and thriving communities across York and North Yorkshire and small businesses are at the heart of that. The Business Board will have a role in ensuring that we are supporting small businesses that are the lifeblood of our communities to be resilient and to thrive.

“It is crucial to me as Mayor that I have strong connections to the business community. As well as the Business Board, the business voice will also be supported by a development forum, which is soon to launch, a network forum, and ongoing engagement and support for business through the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Growth Hub and Invest partnership.”

The Business Board will meet in-person quarterly, with the first meeting due to take place on Friday 22 November.

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