Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has been in office for four months. Some of his key policies include the introduction of a cost of living plan, an integrated transport system, and improved healthcare facilities. Nouse reached out in order to get his answers regarding the biggest issues affecting students right now.
How are you planning on tackling York’s student housing issues (rising costs, private landlords, housing quality?
David Skaith: Housing is a key priority for me—making sure we have homes in the right places, which are connected into transport, educational opportunity and jobs.
We want to create affordable homes including rental properties giving young professionals the flexibility they need, all whilst reducing inequalities, raising living standards and creating a strong community.
We are working closely with the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership to identify the specific requirements we need from our housing stock, and we have already funded 1000 homes through our Brownfield fund. Over 400 of these are ‘affordable’. We welcome the direction that the City of York Council has gone in with building 100 percent affordable housing on council-owned land.
How do you plan on improving the state of student transport across York and North Yorkshire?
DS: Transport across York and North Yorkshire is fundamental in making sure that the region can reach its full potential. We need to make sure it works for everyone within the area as well as people across different borders; that means we need to look at all available options. We’re still in the early stages of our transport strategy, but our focus will lie heavily on public and active travel options - we want to create a region where people are connected to opportunities in an affordable and reliable way.
Do you plan to push for the pedestrianisation of York and if so, by what means?
DS: Pedestrianisation is certainly an option that we’re looking at within active travel.
I recently met with Chris Boardman in his role as commissioner of Active Travel England; he had plenty of ideas about the ways in which we can give residents, as well as those living in our rural and coastal regions, more choice when it comes to travel.
This is a key priority alongside the theme of wider transport, and I’m looking forward to working closely with Chris and our partners at City of York and North Yorkshire Council in the future.
York is a relatively small university city; as a result, many students believe that there are minimal opportunities by way of internships, graduate schemes and graduate jobs. Do you agree and if so, are there any plans in place to address this?
York is a great place to live and work, but I am also ambitious about what we can do to improve it—and a key part of that is holding onto our graduates.
We are home to over 40,000 businesses, including large and internationally recognised brands that are always on the hunt for talent. There’s also a real buzz around high-growth sectors thanks to our universities, innovative businesses and research institutions. We want to champion our region to be the best place for business, and our combination of rural and urban provides real opportunity. Our teams are working closely with businesses to give those already here the confidence to expand and attract new businesses to the area.
We know that we need to work hard to ensure we retain our talent and connect young people to great careers. We are working closely with colleges, universities and training providers to ensure that the next generation has the skills and knowledge they need in order to work in this region’s industries.
This is central to my role as Mayor, as I am well aware of the importance of keeping hold of our graduates and building on our talented workforce.
As a former student in York, do you have any advice or parting words for new students?
Don’t worry if you’re not sure which path you want to take straight away. Going to university is not just about getting a degree; it’s the time for you to learn about yourself, build friendships and relationships, and broaden your horizons. Join the clubs and societies on offer—not just within the University, but the city too.
Most importantly, enjoy it! Look after yourself and your fellow students. If you need help, ask for it. Surround yourself with good people and remember: going to university is a huge change in your life, but everybody is in the same boat. You are not going through that change on your own. Good luck!
