Yorkshire Forward, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency, was one of eight regional development agencies (RDAs) created by deputy prime minister John Prescott in April 1999. They were given the mission of revitalising the regional economies so that they might act as catalysts for innovation and economic growth.
Created from five organisations – Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency, regional activities of English Partnerships, regional activities of Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber and the Rural Development Commission – Yorkshire Forward is a powerful and influential player and has, unsurprisingly, been in the spotlight ever since the Government tasked the RDAs to develop a new vision for each of the English regions.
