Lancashire is open for business, says Northern Powerhouse conference

'Lancashire is open for business' was the upbeat message to delegates at a major conference on the future direction of the Northern Powerhouse.

And he spelled out the success of Blackburn's Cathedral Quarter regeneration vision and the partnership approach that had helped deliver it.

He told the conference that the county's local authorities were coming together to create a single vision for the area and he added: "We have made massive progress."

Harry Catherall from @blackburndarwen on what is more important finance or delivery for the #northernpowerhouse17 pic.twitter.com/ctWdffzcFq

— Capita Local Gov (@Capita_LG) February 21, 2017

Mobilisation of the North's great 'army' of SMEs is central to the region's future economic success, the conference on the Northern Powerhouse was also told.

He told his audience at the Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition in Manchester, that there was increased confidence in the region, with record levels of office development in centres like Manchester and Leeds. But he stressed the North still needed to create more start ups.

It also heard of the opportunity that more investment in the North's digital infrastructure could bring to its economic prosperity, allowing it to overcome some of the physical infrastructure challenges it faces.

Richard Gregory @yorkshirebank chairing the Financing the Northern Powerhouse debate. Northernpowerhouse#17 pic.twitter.com/ePmEivdjnS

— ianrhardman (@ianrhardman) February 21, 2017

He told his audience the North needed to speak with "more confidence" and show that it supported ambition and could deliver.

And he added: "We need to see that level of collaboration amongst all pillars of the Northern Powerhouse."