Inclusive economic strategy for Newcastle launched

They made the announcement as the city launched its first ever Inclusive Economic Strategy to help ensure wealth and opportunity flows to all and not just a few.

Businesses and representatives of community groups as well as anchor institutions met in the city to listen to speakers and discuss how to work collaboratively to make the city’s economy work better for the good of all residents, as well as the small, medium, and large sized businesses based here.

Opening the event, leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Nick Kemp, said: “As the engine of the North-East economy Newcastle is doing brilliant things with its significant assets but often success reaches only the few, and inequalities between our residents become entrenched.

“This harms lives, limits our growth and impacts on the capacity of businesses and communities to thrive.

“This ambitious strategy is about continuing to grow our economy and make a fundamental change in how that growth is transmitted and benefits our residents, delivering equitable economic outcomes and opportunities for all regardless of who they are, what part of the city they live in or work in.”

Institutions who attended the event and pledged to support the strategy included businesses, both universities and the city’s college, hospitals, and the voluntary and community sector among others.

At its heart is five objectives: encouraging strong economic assets in all sectors; use the city’s reputation for innovation to be more inclusive and spreading opportunities wider; create a reliable affordable public transport system so people can access opportunities; ensure wealth flows more freely by employing local people and procuring local companies; and working to encourage healthier lifestyles and wellbeing.

As well as endorsing the strategy’s ambitions, anchor institutions agreed to:

• Target help at those not given opportunities to access employment, education, or training
• Improve employment opportunities for neighbourhoods which have received fewer benefits from the growth in the city centre
• Promote a level playing field for small and medium sized businesses, community, and voluntary organisations to access procurement opportunities in anchor organisations

Jane Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Engagement and Place at Newcastle University, said: “As a university we are committed to working with our partners in the city to deliver an inclusive economy, and that’s about our research, our education, but also how we operate as an anchor institution in the city.

“We are really proud to be accredited as a Real Living Wage employer back in 2019 and we continue to do all that we can through our different strategies to make a difference in this great city.”

Andy Haddon, of the Big River Bakery, a social enterprise in Shieldfield, Newcastle, which delivers training opportunities, spoke at the event.

He said: “Everyone should have access to healthy, affordable food and that’s what we’ve tried to create with our bakery, so it is inclusive. We’ve kept the prices down despite the increases because we want to help find a way to feed people who have no money.”

Kate Squire, BBC Head of Production North East/North West, who also spoke at the event, said afterwards: “The BBC is here to give value to every single part of our audience.

“We know it is important to connect with audiences in the North East as well as elsewhere in the country. We are proud to have made a really big investment in the economy here - £25m over the next five years.

“Newcastle is a fantastic city. It is vibrant, full of characters and full of culture. I think it is a bit of a sleeping giant, and I think it is beginning to wake up in all sorts of respects and really stamp itself on England and in the North East.”

At the same event the council also unveiled its anti-poverty strategy as part of its Inclusive Economic agenda. In Newcastle 42% of children live in poverty, 44% of neighbourhoods are in the 30% most deprived in England and 27% of the working age population are economically inactive.

The aim of the strategy is to prevent residents falling into poverty, target support at those experiencing poverty now and campaign for long-term change to reduce poverty.

Deputy leader, Cllr Karen Kilgour, said: “While poverty is not new, neither is it inevitable. This strategy is a sign of the council’s intent to work differently with residents, partners, trade unions, businesses, and the voluntary and community sector to redouble efforts to create more opportunities for residents so they can lead full, healthy, and happy lives.”

The event took place in the Great Hall of the Discovery Museum - the former headquarters of the Co-operative Wholesale Society which opened in 1899. In years gone by the Great Hall was used as the banqueting hall for the Co-op staff.