November update: regional growth and recovery

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) who are working on the COVID-19 response and the longer-term economic recovery.

In this monthly update, you’ll find insights from these MCAs and LEPs, with a specific focus on how to kick start demand and unleash competitiveness on people and skills for growth, and how to build back better for a more sustainable future. Discover a region-by-region breakdown of the latest developments and understand how you can get involved.

Latest headlines

• England has entered its second coronavirus lockdown with measures limiting what people can do over the next four weeks. MPs voted on Wednesday (November 4) to impose the restrictions which are due to expire on December 2.
• The Covid Recovery Commission, chaired by John Allan, has published a report on levelling up communities. The report recommends that the forthcoming devolution white paper should contain measures to make Metro Mayors more accountable to government, and that they be given responsibility to introduce a strategy to tackle the levelling-up agenda.
• The Northern Research Group led by former Tory minister Jake Berry has written to the PM demanding a roadmap for lockdowns and further investment.

Kickstarting demand and competitiveness

• Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen launched a fund of more than £300,000 to help culture businesses adapt in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
• Free public Wi-Fi is set to be installed in several Cambridgeshire towns this Autumn to help residents keep connected. The secure Wi-Fi networks will be introduced as part of Connecting Cambridgeshire, a programme designed to improve the county’s digital infrastructure.

People and skills for growth

• High uptake of the Kickstart Scheme across Northern Regions has prompted regional stakeholders to raise concerns around government resources to process in time, as well as plans for the end of the 6 month period.
• Work has begun on the new government hub at Fletton Quays in Peterborough as part of the Government Hubs Programme, which promotes regional growth. Due to be completed in 2022 the hub will house 1,000 civil servants from HM Passport Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Building back better

• West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has said HS2 is critical to the region fighting back against COVID-19 with billions of pounds being spent in the region. £18 billion in contracts have been announced and it’s expected to grow to £22 billion by 2025.
• Transport for the North has launched a procurement to inform the development of a 'Smart North Ecosystem' to connect the region's different transport networks and ticketing systems to incentivise the use of public transport and other forms of greener, shared and active travel.

Regional insights

• North West: Liverpool City Region have announced £40m hospitality fund, alongside a guidance tool kit for businesses in these sectors. The simple grant process will help cover wages and overheads. This fund comes from CA and council budgets and means existing projects for skills development have had to be ended.
• North East: UK2070 Commission have launched a Teesside Task Force that will focus on places. It will build on the 10-point plan for levelling up. The Taskforce will look at the potential of freeports, steel, hydrogen and the wider net zero agenda to boost opportunity for people from across the Tees Valley.
• Yorkshire and Humber: An additional £500m was allocated in the Humber LEP for business support, the funding was fully subscribed within less than a day.
• West Midlands: West Midlands mayor Andy Street has pledged to adopt a new scheme tackling boardroom inequality, following the decision by Birmingham City Council to adopt the Race Code to tackle racial prejudice in the workplace.
• East Midlands: A pilot Export Academy scheme has been introduced to support smaller businesses in the region. The Midlands Internationalisation Fund for small businesses, will also help up to 1,250 businesses in the Midlands Engine grow their overseas trading and maximise their profits from 2020-2023.
• South West: The West of England has published its recovery plan outlining how the region’s creativity and diversity will be harnessed to protect and secure jobs, while building back greener and creating opportunities for all residents to share in the recovery. An extra £4.4 million was committed for recovery work, taking the total investment in the region’s businesses and skills to over £100m over the next four years.
• South East: Transport for the South East have had their bid for statutory status rejected, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed his support for Transport for the South East and for the leadership they are showing in the region, but has said that he will not be taking forward their bid for statutory status at this time.
• East of England: The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate established by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has launched a public survey on the most pressing issues of climate change across the region and what action should be taken.
• Greater London: Transport for London (TfL) has secured £1.8bn to help it through the coronavirus pandemic. The deal will last another six months.

How you can get involved:

The CBI will be setting out pro-business manifestos for next May’s mayoral elections promoting regional recovery and long-term prosperity. If you would like to shape the CBI’s recommendations in each of these areas or want more information please get in touch by the 27th November with the appropriate colleague:

• Hannah Richmond for Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Tees Valley, West Yorkshire
• Jim Hubbard for West Midlands
• Nicky Williams for West of England
• Helena Coe for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Katy Recina for Greater London