Today George Osbourn announced the formation of 21 new Enterprise Zones in the budget. The first 10 such zones were announced today and include: Birmingham and Solihull Leeds City Region Sheffield City Region Liverpool City Region Greater Manchester West of England Tees Valley North Eastern The Black Country Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire London - Royal Docks Enterprise zones are designed to help create growth and jobs in areas of most need. Businesses established in Enterprise Zones will enjoy 100% free super fast broadband, discounts in their business rates and 100% of all business rates to be given to the local authority area in which the zone is located for the next 25 years. The exclusion of the Humber area from this initial list is a major blow to a region of England which is looking to develop and grow its infrastructure and industry to bring jobs to local meetings. This blow follows the atrocious decision by the government shortly after they came in to power to scrap the proposed A160 extension to allow for the development of the south bank ports. This decision can only be seen as political on behalf of the government, and another slap in the face for hardworking families in North Lincolnshire. Some of this blame must however be shared by the North Bank in their flat refusal to follow the advice of commerce, industry and the local chamber of commerce to join with the South Bank in a common Humber LEP. Failure to form a full cross Humber LEP will only bring further harm to the area, as we�ve said before on Visit Scunthorpe it�s the responsibility of all our political leaders to work together in the best interests of the communities they represent. Politicians in North Lincolnshire have worked very hard with local industry and the chamber to put together a proposal for a cross Humber LEP which has been rejected constantly by East Yorkshire. As cuts begin to bite, (for example today�s 1p reduction in Fuel was actually a 2p rise when VAT is taken in to consideration) businesses, families and politicians of both sides of the Humber simply must start to work together to ensure that we get what is so desperately needed for this area, investment, jobs and prosperity.