ONGOING political uncertainty surrounding Brexit has failed to stop York and North Yorkshire business leaders in their bid for success.

The county's biggest businesses created 11,300 jobs over the last year and delivered double-digit growth, according to a new report by accountancy firm BDO.

The Yorkshire Report 2019 looks at how Yorkshire’s top 250 businesses are performing and why, with 35 of those companies choosing to base their head offices in North Yorkshire.

Selby-based Drax Group, the power generator, and Persimmon, the York-based housebuilder, added £540m and £320m in turnover growth respectively.

Froneri, the Northallerton-based ice cream giant formerly known as R&R, hit the sweet spot with turnover growth of £1.9bn.

Meanwhile, Drax, Persimmon and Shepherd Building Group, the family-owned construction business based in Huntington, York, led the pack for earnings growth.

McCain Foods, the frozen potato company whose head office is in Scarborough, JN Bentley, the construction services provider, Persimmon, Animal Care, the veterinary products specialist, and Drax created the largest number of new jobs.

Mark Langford, audit partner at BDO’s Leeds’ office, said: “The impressive all-round performance flies in the face of ongoing political uncertainty and shows North Yorkshire business leaders have been pushing ahead with growth plans, whatever happens with Brexit.

"The UK economy is at a crossroads with new technology, new international relationships, new markets and new politics creating unprecedented uncertainty for many Yorkshire businesses.

“Since 2016, as part of its New Economy campaign, BDO has been calling on the government to make effective investments to create the right environment for business and local communities to flourish in the regions outside of London and the South, in order to create regional powerhouses across the nation. The Government has been distracted in this regard for far too long.”

The county has nine of Yorkshire’s top 50 companies. These created 4,600 jobs and drove a 40 per cent increase in turnover to £13.5bn.

They are also flying the flag for Britain across the world and increased overseas turnover by 43 per cent to £760m.

North Yorkshire’s 26 mid-market companies highlighted their social and economic value by creating 6,700 new jobs and increasing turnover by 12 per cent to £3.9bn.