Kirklees should become the place to do business in the north of England, senior councillors say.

The Cabinet unveiled its draft Economic Strategy setting out how the authority will try to boost jobs and growth.

Their vision is now open for public debate among the business, education, health and other sectors.

Kirklees is putting boosting engineering and manufacturing at the heart of its efforts until 2020 and promoting the ‘buzz’ enterprise can have in the borough.

Supporting key players - the university and private businesses - will be key to its success, with Kirklees describing its role as an “enabling” one.

And Kirklees says unlocking land is important, with Lindley Moor and Moor Park in Mirfield name checked in the report.

Clr Peter McBride, Cabinet member for Investment and Regeneration, said: “It’s apt that we have to have a new economic strategy, it shows how we fit in to the Leeds City Region (LCR) in totality.

“The document looks at the strengths, limitations and assets and identifies challenges in Kirklees and our ability to maximise the benefits.

He added: “This report sets out the importance of expanding the economy and unless we can improve that and get more housing, more investment from business the council will literally go bust in five or six years unless the economy expands.

“It’s crucially important in our own ability to provide services overall and carry on the functions of local governance.”

The council’s priorities are:

Consolidate Kirklees as the heart of a growing innovative manufacturing and engineering cluster in LCR

Maximise the impact of a suite of high quality innovation and enterprise assets

Enhance enterprise, skills and opportunities for young people

Strategic employment sites to stimulate jobs and growth, with focus on manufacturing and engineering.

Revitalise Huddersfield town centre

Kick start the transformation of Dewsbury.

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news.

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App here, the FREE Examiner Android App here or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking here

To follow us on Twitter click here