We’re committed to ensuring your voice is heard in your region, and that real, practical change can be driven to boost productivity and prosperity. To do this, the CBI sits on business groups across Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the regions, making sure that businesses voice is central to their plans to drive growth across all English regions.
This monthly update gives the latest news from across the regions focused on the CBI Seize the Moment priorities; achieve net zero, drive innovation, put business at the heart of UK trade policy to shape a more agile skills system, and instill a culture of valuing health more as a nation.
Latest headlines
- The chancellor announced £819m worth in levelling up and regeneration funding as part of the Budget. The largest fund announced was the £400m for new style levelling up partnerships in 20 areas across England.
- The government has agreed trailblazer devolution deals with the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. These deals equip the authorities with new levers over local transport, employment, housing, innovation and Net Zero priorities, a long term commitment to local authorities retaining 100% of their business rates, and include a commitment to provide these MCAS with single multi-year funding settlements at the next Spending Review.
- The government has announced the creation of 12 new investment zones to “drive business investment and level up” the country. The 12 areas agreed are: the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, the north-east, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Midlands, Teesside, and Liverpool. There will also be at least one investment zone in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
- The government is “minded” to withdraw support from local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) and transfer their responsibilities to local authorities from 2024. DLUHC and the Department for Business and Trade will now consult on these proposals, before confirming a decision.
- £58m will be invested in three levelling up capital projects in the North West. This will see a new community hub in Stockport, the transformation of Bootle town centre, and the redevelopment of markets as well as transport connectivity improvements in Rossendale.
Decarbonisation
- East Coast, North West and North Wales: The government announced up to £20 billion funding for early deployment of Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS). A shortlist of projects will be announced later this month.
- East of England: Launch Academy East of England, run by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, is open from now until 28 April for expressions of interest from companies across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, pioneering new products and services for the offshore renewable energy sector.
- North East: The Metrocentre has made a significant investment in EV charging infrastructure. Zest has launched 56 charging sockets at the retail and leisure destination, representing an investment of about half a million pounds.
- Midlands: Birmingham Airport aims to become the first in Britain to operate commercial zero-emission hydrogen-fuelled flights by as early as 2025 following a deal with ZeroAvia.
Innovation
- Yorkshire and the Humber: Innovate UK has partnered with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to increase support for innovative businesses in the region.
- Midlands: The University of Nottingham has opened a £3.8m “concept factory” which could “revolutionise the world of manufacturing.” The OMNIFACTORY is home to a bespoke test bed floor, developed in Nottingham, that provides a unique reconfigurable environment.
- North West: Ten Greater Manchester projects will share in £100m of levelling up funding to accelerate innovation. In total, 26 R&D projects across three UK regions will attract private R&D investment, create new jobs, boost regional economic growth, and develop the technologies of tomorrow.
- South West: Cyber Tech West, the CBI’s newest national cluster demonstrator hosted its first roundtable discussion. Attendees considered skills, innovation, investment, and economic growth in the context of Cyber Tech West. The session was hosted by BT at their new Assembly Bristol office, which opened earlier this year.
Trade
- South East: The Thames Freeport has been given the go ahead to formally constitute its board and start operating fully, following the approval of the final business case by the UK Government. A partnership between Ford, Forth Ports Limited and DP World, Thames Freeport will see over £4.6bn in new public and private investment, and the creation of over 21,000 new jobs and many more across supply chains.
- East of England: A new Cambridgeshire railway line will only go ahead if it "fully stacks up" and is in the "national interest" - Transport Secretary Mark Harper has said.
- Yorkshire and the Humber: ABP Humber has completed an extension of its Humber Container Terminal at the Port of Hull in a £4.8m investment. The project has enabled an additional 190,000 sq ft of heavy-duty paving to expand the terminal's storage capacity.
Workforce
- South West: Dyson pledges £6m for Wiltshire school’s planned education centre. expansion plans at Malmesbury C of E Primary School, include a new facility for the combined teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM).
- North East: Leonardo UK has revealed plans to set up base at the 24-acre Newcastle Helix development and expects to employ more than 200 people at the site, generating in excess of £185m of economic benefit in the region across the next ten years.
- Midlands: Derby has been chosen as the city to be the future headquarters of GBR. The Midlands is already a transport supercluster for Britain: with DfT and HS2 based in Birmingham, bringing GBR HQ to Derby represents a further boost to the region’s transport sector.
Health
- London: A report into the impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) by City Hall, has showed that harmful pollution emissions have reduced by 26% within the expanded ULEZ area.
- South West: A ‘repair café’ will open at the University of West England’s Frenchay Campus this year. It aims to improve representation and belonging for women and people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic groups, alongside those from underrepresented backgrounds.
- South East: Moderna is to open a facility on Harwell Campus. The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) will encompass research, development and a manufacturing operation, which aims to provide the UK public with access to mRNA vaccines for a wide range of respiratory diseases, pending independent regulatory assessment and licensure.
How you can get involved
Cyber Tech West is a business-led Cluster delivered in by the CBI in partnership with CyNam. Cyber Tech West’s geography spans a 60-mile radius around Cheltenham, home to GCHQ. If you would like to learn more about Cyber Tech West and how your organisation can get involved, please contact Devon Geary, CBI Cluster Lead.
Contact the Regional Growth Team
- Mark Goldstone – Head of Regional Policy
- Jake Morris – North East and Yorkshire and Humber
- Alex Guest - North West
- Fleur Geernaert– South East and East of England
- Nicky Williams – South West
- Josh Male – Midlands
- Simon Dishman – London
