“Empowering local places for health and prosperity: new perspectives from Yorkshire and The Humber” is a new report from the three YHealth for Growth partners – Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, Yorkshire Universities and the NHS Confederation.

The report (which you can access here: https://www.yhealth4growth.info/news/empowering-local-places-white-paper/) “Currently health inequalities cost UK plc £180bn a year, with Yorkshire having the third lowest life expectancy in England. With the economic climate uncertain and the NHS and wider public sector facing mounting pressure, the white paper argues we need to embrace new ways of working to narrow the health and economic equality gap.”

The health and economic equality gap is a core issue in Goole. We can see this written large in the ever increasing number of HMOs being authorised in Goole, and a lack of social housing. It makes one wonder what sort of “job opportunities” are being created around Goole for which the pay makes so many HMOs necessary - because the workers cannot afford “normal” homes? Are these jobs being filled by Goole people, or are people being brought in from outside the area (or from overseas) to fill these posts, putting even greater pressure on local services? Are the employers using the Govt scheme (that allows employers to pay 20% less for workers in priority and shortage roles) to cut their costs and boost their profits by undercutting local candidates?” The Govt and ERYC would say “of course not” but you wonder. None of this by the way is against the people who live in HMOs - they are fellow human beings and citizens. Certainly more low paid insecure jobs are not good for the people of Goole and their quality of life - and health.

The Town Deals are being reviewed by Secretary of State Michael Gove. He has told the Boards to “repurpose” themselves by April, and produce new plans by August - with a promise of more money to be spent over ten years. Goole is not on the list of those promised new money however (see:  https://www.lgcplus.com/services/regeneration-and-planning/government-unveils-1-1bn-funding-for-55-towns-02-10-2023). There is of course an election coming…Bear in mind the Town Deal Boards were part of the promises of the 2019 General Election - and how is that turning out 4 years plus on?

Mr Gove certainly doesn’t want more people elected by the public on the boards - he apparently wants less. Which rather lends weight to the argument that the Town Deal schemes are definitely not about benefitting, or empowering, the general public.

Thank you to everybody who has signed so far. Keep sharing, keep talking, keep signing.