As an actor, I know the value of culture. As Mayor of West Yorkshire, I will use it to enrich lives and create jobs | Tracy Brabin

I grew up in a council flat in Batley, West Yorkshire, with free school meals. I was the first in my family to go to college and the first to pursue an artistic career. As a result, I know the power of access and the discouraging effect of exclusion.

Unfortunately, the Conservative government does not seem to agree. Access to the arts and creative industries has been closed at all levels, including schools, and as a result people are being systematically excluded from one of the great industries of the future.

When I entered politics as MP for Batley and Spen, I already knew the difference politics could make. When I became Mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021, it was partly because I believed I could make a difference in a real and practical way.

Local authorities across the country have felt financial strain over the past 14 years, and the creative industries have paid a high price. As the trend of local councils looking to fund the arts to save money continues, we face a future of cultural deprivation, but I have a different view of West Yorkshire. My goal is to make it a region of learning and creativity, a place where everyone has access to the arts and creative industries as consumers and creators. And that's what I will do if I am re-elected on May 2.

It's not just about getting a few more people into theaters and concert halls, although everyone would benefit from that, and expanding access to the arts at all levels is certainly part of what I wishes to do; it is also about supporting the development of the skills needed to succeed in the creative industries, crucial to building the wider workforce of tomorrow.

I am developing West Yorkshire as a creative melting pot to increase our share of a 108 billion a year industry which employs 23 million people in the UK.

As an actor And scriptwriter I myself know that it is as much about access to qualified jobs as it is about access to the culture itself. The best schools in the country offer excellent creative subjects because they help students develop soft skills such as self-confidence, articulation and creative problem solving, which are highly valued in the workplace.

Scientists, AI developers, transportation planners, green engineers, paramedics and many others will all need creative problem-solving skills to meet the new challenges we face. We need to be able to position West Yorkshire as a place to do business, a place where global investors want to come because they know they can access the country's brightest talent.

The world is changing rapidly and we need a workforce that can change with it. This means having a much better approach to lifelong learning. People need a good foundation in English and maths, as well as more specialist skills that will transform West Yorkshire. To make it accessible, we should develop a modular learning approach that works not only for individuals, but also for businesses, colleges and universities.

I want everyone to have access to culture and sport, and also to have the opportunity to pursue a career in these fields if they wish. I have therefore already invested €1.7 million in upskilling our workforce to access this growing sector. Sector 2 billion in West Yorkshire. Our region's creative industries are booming. Through interventions such as our Creative New Deal, job growth in the culture, heritage and sport sector increased by 17% from 2022 to 2023 almost three times the national average.

However, employers often tell me that there is a shortage of soft skills they need to succeed in the workplace. But these skills are transferable and already exist in the creative industries. My plan will help people communicate ideas confidently, solve problems competently and creatively, and build resilience.

But of course, this vision of a region of learning and creativity is not only aimed at adults. We have to start with the children. So I want children to have the best possible start, which means parents can benefit from quality, affordable childcare. To achieve this, it will be necessary in particular to increase the number of qualified early childhood staff, which I will make possible by investing in their training.

We can do so much more. The decline of libraries is excluding children from all kinds of experiences and ideas, which is why I will work to ensure that every primary school in West Yorkshire has a library, and there will be a new book fund for local libraries where councils are struggling due to government budget cuts.

Investment in the creative industries will grow West Yorkshire’s economy, but we must retain the talent we encourage. This will involve having a careers guidance service that helps people make the right choices, as well as quality, affordable housing that meets high environmental standards.

People also need a transport network fit for the 21st century, which is why we have worked at breakneck speed to bring buses back into public control. I will extend the 2 capped mayors fare until 2025. And I will put spades in the ground by 2028 for the groundbreaking public transport network that will connect all parts of West Yorkshire.

Success will require a focus on creating jobs and opportunities so our skilled workforce can succeed. As mayor, I have already helped businesses grow, secured investment from overseas business ties, and championed the brilliance of our fast-growing digital and healthcare sectors. If I am re-elected, there will be much more to come.

I was one of the lucky ones. I achieved my first aspirations, and now it's my turn to pay back. I want that young girl growing up today in Batley, Bradford or Beeston, or the man in his forties in Horbury or Hebden Bridge who is desperate for a better paid job, to be able to do what I did . I know we can make this possible.