South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has committed the South Yorkshire Combined Authority to revising its procurement processes to include more UK-made steel, supporting local jobs, supply chains and the economy.
He’s the first Northern Mayor to sign the UK Steel Charter, which he did at Sheffield Forgemasters’ Brightside Lane plant in the city on behalf of the Authority and the newly-formed Business Advisory Board made up from industry experts from the local Chambers of Commerce, Make UK, CBI, Northern Trade Union Congress and Federation of Small Businesses amongst others.
Mr Coppard said: “South Yorkshire was the home of the industrial revolution. By signing the UK Steel Charter, we’re signalling our commitment to back British steel – bringing high-quality jobs and growth right across our region. And that’s a priority I have for South Yorkshire.
“We were the first to mass produce steel, we were the first to be an advanced manufacturing innovation district and now we’re the UK’s first investment zone.
“And to sign the charter in a place like Sheffield Forgemasters, which is such a unique and important site, shows just what we can achieve in the region with UK made steel.”
UK Steel Director General Gareth Stace said: “This is a triple boost of support as Mayor Coppard, the South Yorkshire Business Advisory Board and the Combined Authority join the UK Steel Charter.
“Today’s support is even more poignant as the Charter is signed in Sheffield, the historical home of the UK steel industry.”
