| The Northern Powerhouse |
Just over a year ago I attended the Northern Futures Summit which was chaired by Nick Clegg MP who was then Deputy Prime Minister. The summit brought together speakers like Ed Glaeser, Jim O'Neil, Tony Trathers and Bob Kerslake as well as local politicians. entrepreneurs and even schoolchildren from across the region to discuss how the resources of the individual communities in the North of England could be pooled and coordinated for the benefit of all.
The shorthand term for this pooling and coordination is "the Northern Powerhouse" which was coined by George Osborn MP who, like Clegg, is a Northern MP. The concept was summarized by the Chancellor in his Autumn statement for 2015:
"The Northern Powerhouse is the government’s plan to boost the economy across the North of England. It is built on the solid economic theory that while the individual cities and towns of the North are strong, if they are enabled to pool their strengths, they could be stronger than the sum of their parts. It means investing in better transport to connect up the North; backing the science and innovation strengths of the North, so that new ideas can be turned into new products and new jobs; investing in culture, housing and the quality of life to make the North a magnet for new businesses and talented people; devolving powers and budgets from London to local areas across the North, and creating powerful new elected mayors who will give people in northern cities and towns a strong voice."The Northern Powerhouse was a brainchild of the Coalition Government and Clegg and Osborn were its progenitors. Clegg is no longer in office but Osborn is and I am encouraged to see that he appears to remain committed to the project.
In his Autumn statement the Chancellor announced investment in public transport, science based innovative companies and the arts in the North. A body called Transport for the North ("TfN") with its own website and logo has already been formed.
The Chancellor proposes to invest £150 million of public money in TfN's plans for a new smart ticketing system to allow passengers to cross the region easily by bus, metro, rail or tram.
As for science and innovation, he announced a £250 million investment in nuclear technology some of which will go to Sheffield and a new Northern Powerhouse investment fund to be run by the British Business Bank in collaboration with the local enterprise partnership, new enterprise zones, a sovereign growth fund for the North funded by shale gas exploration and a £50 million investment in agricultural technology centres in York.
The timetable for the implementation of the Northern Powerhouse is as follows@
2015-16 and 2016-17
Key project starts:
- The first of almost £3 billion of Growth Deal projects get underway
- Launch of Health North
- Construction work on UK Collaboratorium for Research In Infrastructure and Cities hubs
- Investment package for Small Modular Reactor development and nuclear R&Dlaunched
- Accelerating £220 million upgrade to M6 Junctions 16-19
- Electrification of railway between Manchester and Liverpool
- Appointment of Transport for the North’s Chair
- Interim report from Transport for the North
- Contract award for the New Northern and Transpennine Rail franchises
Key project starts:
- Construction work on Sir Henry Royce Institute in Manchester
- Energy Subsurface Test Centre, Chester
- Construction of National Centre for Ageing Science, Newcastle
- Great Exhibition Legacy Fund
- First mayoral elections for northern cities
- Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre, Manchester
- Cognitive Computing Research Centre, Cheshire
- Mersey Gateway Bridge opens
- New East Coast InterCity Express trains come into service
- National College of High Speed Rail, Doncaster
- Investments under the Builders Finance Fund for new homes
- ‘The Factory, Manchester’ – a new theatre and exhibition space
- 2019-20
Major roads investment projects underway across the North, such as the A1 north of Ellingham and A1 Morpeth to Ellingham
Key project completions:
- Northern Hub rail enhancements scheme
- £350 million Metrolink extension to Trafford Park in Greater Manchester
- Development in extending the capabilities of the National Nuclear Users Facility
- Improved East Coast rail timetable with additional and faster services
- Hartree Cognitive Computing Research Centre, Cheshire
Should anyone wish to discuss this article or the Northern Powerhouse project in general, he or she should call me on 020 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form.
Northern Powerhouse Reading List
16 Nov 2015
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BBC
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BBC website
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14 May 2015
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BBC
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BBC website
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7 Nov 2014
|
Eddie Copeland
| Are elected mayors enough to deliver the Northern Powerhouse? |
Policy Bytes
|
27 Nov 2015
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HM Treasury
| Autumn Statement 2015 |
Policy Paper
|
3 Dec 2014
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HM Treasury
| Autumn Statement 2014 |
Policy Papr
|
6 Nov 2014
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Buce Katz
| Manchester England England: Devolution U.K. Style |
Brookings
|
10 Dec 2014
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Jane Lambert
| Let's Take this Opportunity with Both Hands |
IP North West
|
8 Nov 2914
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Jane Lambert
| Northern Futures Summit |
IP Yorkshire
|
25 Oct 2014
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Jane Lambert
| TechNorth |
IP North West
|
22 July 2014
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Jane Lambert
| How can Leeds regain its Lustre |
IP Yorks
|
5 July 2914
|
Jane Lambert
| Power. Performance. Potential. Leeds Economic Conference |
IP North West
|
3 Apil 2014
|
Jane Lambert
| Creating a Northern Counterweight to London is good for the Nation |
IP North West
|
3 Jan 2013
|
Jane Lambert
| NESTA in Manchester |
IP North West
|
10 Sept 2011
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Jane Lambert
| LEP Summit: My Impressions of the Day as a Delegate |
IP Yorkshire
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16 Oct 2014
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Northern Futures
| Open Ideas Day | |
5 Nov 2014
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ONS
| North of England Economic Indicators | |
6 Nov 2014
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PWC
| Northern Futures summit - PwC comments |
PWC in the North
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7 Nov 2014
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Tony Travers
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LSE, British Politics and Policy
| |
7 Nov 2014
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Paul Unger
|
Place North West
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