Speaking in response to the ‘Cities Outlook’ report from the Centre for Cities published this week, Rachael Maskell MP for York Central said that we have a ‘broken local economy that is not working in the interests of the people in our city’. The report shows that wages in York dropped by more than any other city in the country last year and that for the first time, the cost of buying a home in York is more than 10 times the average York salary.

The report demonstrated that York has a serious problem of underemployment, where people are not being used to their full potential, impacting on poor productivity and opportunity for the city.

Rachael Maskell MP says
“We’re seeing a broken local economy in York that is not working in the interests of the people in our city. A failure of leadership by the Tory LibDem Coalition in our City Council has seen York record the eighth lowest number of homes actually built in the city compared to the rest of the country.

“It is a disgrace that the average wages in York dropped by more than any other city in Britain last year. We’ve had four wasted years of a Council not seeking to improve the basics that residents rely on. People need a change in approach, one that focuses resolutely on improving everyday lives through access to genuinely affordable housing and secure work that pays a fair wage.”