Regional Mayors now have more powers, more budget and more responsibilities than ever before. More people are able to vote for a Mayor. More businesses and sectors across the economy want to and need to interact with Mayors. And more Mayoral authorities are likely to come forward in new areas.
That is why techUK has published this manifesto for the Mayors - either those within existing Combined Authorities or those with new roles - to help them grasp the digital opportunity to better support the tech sector, digital economy and transform public service delivery.
These ideas are not designed to reinvent existing programmes or be prescriptive or a one-size fits all Westminster model. Rather they are designed to support regional innovation and differentiation with some core tenants that can help plot the course for success.
techUK's Mayoral Manifesto is designed to help and inform the twelve English Mayors as they set out to deliver on their economic visions for regions in England, acting as a blueprint in helping them to create truly digital regions. By embracing digital, the Mayors can help create a vibrant digital economy and deliver efficient, productive public services that helps drive growth, create jobs, secure inward investment, foster innovation and ultimately create thriving places where people want to live, work and thrive. techUK looks forward to working with the newly elected Mayors to help them realise their ambition for their regions, and the tech sector is ready and willing to support them in making it a reality.
Matt Evans, Director of Markets, techUK