This year’s Convention of the North provided a landmark moment for leaders, industry and policymakers in the region to come together as one and set out the North’s vision for future growth.
Our region is rightly ambitious about the opportunities ahead and used last month’s convention to show how the North is perfectly positioned to lead the way.
As proud host of the convention, Lancashire County Council is at the very heart of this evolving story, as the North steps up to the challenges facing the country. As a region, it remains a place that punches above its weight in terms of innovation, trade performance, and the clusters of business excellence that drive our economy.
Collectively, we know our region has the capability, persistence and grit to make something truly amazing happen.
In Lancashire, we are keenly aware of the way our economy and residents interact with the wider North, and the impact on UK plc. For example, BAE Systems’ Air business employs around 12,000 people across its two sites in Lancashire but supports almost 70,700 jobs across the UK, in highly skilled roles including combat air design, engineering, support and training.
This work contributed more than £5 billion to the UK’s gross domestic product, plus an additional £2.6 billion in exports – a figure that has doubled since 2016 – and a further £220 million to the UK government through tax revenues.
In February, the Lancashire Combined County Authority was established, with growth and economic development central to our devolution deal. Real powers and responsibilities on transport and adult skills came quickly in the wake of establishing the new authority.
The creation of our new Lancashire Business Board, and our work to bring forward a growth plan – the consultation on which was launched at the Convention of the North – have crystallised our thinking on where we have the potential to deliver a step-change in our economic base, which, in turn, can deliver national growth and high-quality jobs for the future of our residents.
Over the past four months, we – alongside mayors, leaders, businesses and stakeholders from across the North – have also established a plan for how we can build on the opportunities of devolution to support the UK Government’s growth mission through a northern growth model. This would combine investment in the sectors that will power the future global economy with investment in infrastructure and people.
These game-changers are focused on the specific opportunities the North has to lead growth for the UK, both at home and internationally, as well as address the infrastructure, labour market and health-related issues that have prevented our people and places from realising their full potential for too long.
They include:
- connecting the North through a transformed rail system
- making the North a global leader in clean energy investment
- creating a cluster in the North of artificial intelligence (AI) excellence
- combining cutting-edge research with place-based prevention of ill-health, to drive growth and reform
- investing in the North’s place, cultural and natural assets.
Here in Lancashire, we believe there are exciting times ahead. We remain committed to the future of the North, and to creating the conditions in which businesses can thrive and our residents have the best possible life chances moving forward.
- See the Convention of the North website to find out more.