Yorkshire Forward is patting itself on the back for delivering its best-ever performance in terms of creating jobs and attracting private sector finance to the region.

The regional development agency's year-end figures show that nearly 800 jobs were created or safeguarded; 35 new businesses created and more than 3,200 people have had access to training as a result of its investment across North Yorkshire alone.

The figures contributed to Yorkshire Forward's overall achievements of creating or safeguarding more than 16,500 jobs; creating 730 new businesses and supporting more than 47,000 people's access to training opportunities .

Initiatives during the year included the support for mineworkers at the Selby coalfield up to the end of March this year.

Partners working together under a taskforce co-ordinated by Yorkshire Forward board member Lord Haskins, administered a £35million package to help miners to find new jobs or start their own businesses.

The package which include training, advice on career opportunities and support in becoming self-employed has helped them gain employment with organisations including Guardian Glass, St Gobain and the Prison Service.

Other successes included the opening of six new high-standard business units at Melmerby near Ripon, providing much-needed dedicated space for small food producers to grow and expand.

Nearly £1.5m was invested in the Renaissance Market Towns programme since 2003 on towns including Settle, Skipton, Bedale, Northallerton, Helmsley, Kirby-moorside, Pickering, Rich-mond, Catterick, Knaresborough and Borough-bridge to deliver strategic new visions and business plans.

In Malton and Norton, Yorkshire Forward funded a study to look at potential uses for six derelict or under-utilised sites that were all subject to flooding but can now be considered for business, housing or open space following a £6.5million flood defence scheme.

Major new initiatives launched during the year to increase business competitiveness have also had an impact on North Yorkshire.

The new Centres of Industrial Collaboration, an £11million initiative with the European Regional Development Fund to establish a world-class scientific, technical and research resource for industry, include two involving the University of York.

So far CICs have grossed more than £7million in research income and worked with more than 70 businesses to translate the expertise of some of the region's leading research departments to accelerate innovation.

Yorkshire Forward Chairman Terry Hodgkinson said: "These figures are among the best ever achieved by Yorkshire Forward - far exceeding our targets in many cases and above all other RDAs in terms of jobs and skills - proving our investments are in line with the Regional Economic Strategy and have been focused to deliver real benefits to North Yorkshire.

"We are creating new innovative solutions to the issues facing the region's businesses and our success has been rewarded with extra powers in the Chancellor's Spending Review."

Updated: 09:56 Monday, July 26, 2004