Selby and the North Yorkshire market towns are to benefit in future from York's huge success in attracting new businesses from "outside".

The brief of the high-achieving York Inward Investment Board (IIB) is to widen to beyond the city's borders.

The decision was taken in principle yesterday by City of York Council, which also agreed plans to lure outside enterprises into Tadcaster, Malton and Easingwold.

Council leader Dave Merrett later announced the plans at a reception last night at York's Mansion House to say farewell to the York IIB chief executive Paul Murphy and his team, whose three-year contract is now ended.

In the six years under Mr Murphy, the board lured 60 businesses to the city, generating about 2,000 jobs.

Mr Murphy's successor, Frances Done, former chief executive of the Manchester Commonwealth Games organising committee, will be asked to draw up a detailed revised remit for a broadened York IIB before her six months' tenure is up. Mr Merrett said: "In the first instance we will extend to Selby, which is more advanced than some areas, and later help the market towns and the hinterlands around York.

"We shall extend the board of the IIB and expect to have members from North Yorkshire County Council and private sector partners from the wider areas."

Updated: 11:09 Tuesday, April 01, 2003