Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor John Boyle, has urged Secretary of State Karen Bradley to do what she can to help develop a City Deal bid for L'Derry.

During a visit to Northern Ireland last week, Chancellor Philip Hammond invited a bid for a Derry-Londonderry city deal, calling it "an opportunity for the region to continue to drive forward economic growth and build an economy that works for everyone".

After meeting with the NI Secretary today, 31 July, Mayor Boyle said: "Today's meeting provided us with an opportunity to share with her the work that has been done in partnership with our regional partners in business, the community and voluntary sector and public bodies as well as cross party consensus from all the political parties to progress with a City Deal proposal that identifies the key catalyst projects that will act as an economic driver to transform the Derry-Londonderry City Region.

-- Advertisement --

"Our City Deal focusses on the projects that can make a substantive and sustainable contribution to increasing the numbers employed here, our productivity and thus GVA. The City Deal is closely aligned with the Programme for Government, draft Industrial Strategy and the Chancellor's focus on innovation and improved skills.

"At its core is the expansion of Ulster University in high growth and high impact innovation areas including Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences which will have economic benefits for the North West, Northern Ireland and indeed the UK as a whole."

(LM)