Economic decline does not have to be accepted across the North
The North has suffered from decades of decline that has consigned generations to the scrapheap. Jobs lost due to the end of heavy industry are not replaced, young people are left seeking opportunities elsewhere. That is why across the region economic growth continues to be stifled.
But as research released by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) today shows there is light for northern towns. It highlights the economic transformation of Rotherham with productivity in the town increasing by 63.9 per cent since 2004, faster than any other major town in the North.
The key driver of this is the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and wider Don Valley corridor, which supports around £2bn of economic activity.
As Lord Jim O’Neill points out in today’s newspaper, innovation holds the key to economic growth and it needs to be a far bigger part of the conversation. The prize is huge for the North and indeed Britain.
With the number of Neets rising, it is more important now than ever before that opportunities are created for young people in left behind communities.
While the AMP has been a success, opening doors for young people to a career in advanced manufacturing, the benefits are not universally felt across the town of Rotherham. It still has its issues and that is why headline economic figures cannot be viewed as the be all and end all.
What this research does show is that identifying clusters where innovation can thrive is key to growing the economy. Other parts of the region need to unlock the latent potential on their doorstep and give people a chance.