Despite the difficult climate we all continue to operate in, I am hugely optimistic about York’s prospects for 2014.

In 2011 we set ourselves an ambitious target of becoming a topfive UK city and top-ten European mid-sized city in economic competitiveness terms, by 2015.

I’m proud to say we’re on the way to achieving the first of these with the Centre for Cities latest report recognising York as one of the UK’s top performing cities and highlighting the growth and improvement in York’s economy over the last year.

For our part we continue to work hard with businesses to ensure the city creates the right environment for the private sector to start, grow and locate here and create the high quality and well-paid jobs that we want to see in York.

This includes gaining critical investments, providing a suitable city infrastructure, a culture of enterprise and in ensuring the way we do business as a city and a community is innovative and progressive.

The investments we have made to secure growth in the York economy are also beginning to bear fruit.

York has also seen an improvement in its enterprise environment with increased business stock, proving the city is ahead of the game in nearshore investment, and an increasing number of business start-ups.

Unemployment is currently at less than half the national average and I hope that we will see relatively full employment in the city this year.

Evidence shows that being in work is critical to outcomes in a range of other important areas – children’s achievement in school, people’s sense of wellbeing, and their health.

New businesses attracted to York such as Hiscox and John Lewis have already been recruiting, alongside existing brands such as M&S expanding their offer and employment in the city.

The creative and digital sector has seen particular success in recent years with a growth of 18 percent, more than five times the national average. This growth has helped to create 580 new creative and digital sector jobs in the city, since 2011.

York’s digital connectivity is vital for the city’s growth and – supported by work taking place through the Superconnected Cities Programme – the city has recently improved its digital connectivity with 78% of all York businesses and residents being able to connect to superfast speeds compared to only 73% in rest of the UK.

Previously blocked brownfield developments are now seeing progress including; the White Swan Hotel, Hungate, York Central, Castle Piccadilly, Terry’s, Reynards Garage and the Bonding Warehouse. These sites will deliver much needed homes and employment.

We have also progressed a £2m scheme to build 18 affordable homes in Elvington, which is currently being developed by York Housing Association. I said this time last year housing was this city’s big challenge and it remains so. But progress is being made.

In the longer term, we can look forward to delivering the development on York Central – which we have committed £10m to unlock – beginning early in 2015, providing much-needed Grade A office space and new homes to our growing city.

Successful bids to the Department of Transport for new electric buses, other bus priority measures and new electric vehicle charging points are helping to reduce congestion and improving air quality in the city, making it a better place to live and work.

Further planned investment in our transport infrastructure, includes the outer ring road through the West Yorkshire transport fund of £1bn, to which we will gain access through our participation in the Combined Authority.

Alongside this we continue to work with partners across the East Coast Mainline to lobby Government for investment across the line and to ensure York realises the benefits of HS2, which would support the city’s drive to achieve both a nationally competitive and leading international city economy.

New development of a biorenewables cluster – Biovale – is taking place with York, North Yorkshire & East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership, attracting the interest of international businesses at last year’s inaugural Investors Week here in York as part of our work with partners to proactively open doors to international markets. The event is something we hope to host again this year following its initial success.

York will once again be thrust onto a global stage with the Tour de France arriving here on July 6. How appropriate and fitting that one of Europe’s pre eminent sporting events should grace one of its most beautiful cities.It’s another chance for us to showcase York’s many great assets to billions of people and for the city’s economy to benefit from the £100 million it is expected to bring into the region.

As a city we should celebrate these assets and achievements, whilst keeping in mind that there is much more to do to ensure that all the people of York share in the benefits of the city’s economic success.

Everyone should have the opportunity to succeed and access to a job which pays well. We are playing our part with a commitment to maintaining the Living Wage for council employees and continuing support for apprenticeships in the city. My challenge to you this year is to look to do the same.

- Cllr James Alexander, leader of City of York Council