Member Article

NECC reveal 2012 Growth Manifesto

The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) is calling on the Government to make 2012 the year it begins to formally rebalance the UK economy.

The NECC today published their 2012 manifesto, entitled “Taking the Lead”, detailing the four key areas which must be improved if the region is to realise its growth potential.

Key growth areas include the export industry, the green and renewables sector, both of which has the capacity to help the North East play a greater role in delivering UK economic growth.

The document made fresh calls for the government to do more to strengthen the North East’s private sector by championing the ways the region can contribute to UK plc. It also details how improvements to regional infrastructure would help support the competitiveness of regional businesses by removing barriers and encouraging investment.

NECC President John Mowbray was keen to dispel the idea that the North East economy is a problem for the UK to solve. Instead he believes it should be treated as an asset which offers great potential.

He commented: “If we maximise the North East’s excellent export performance and build on key regional strengths in manufacturing then our businesses must be empowered to innovate, sell and invest more, and generate greater wealth in this part of the UK.

“For these reasons we will in 2012 challenge our members, Local enterprise Partnerships, local authorities and other public agencies, and the Government to do more to strengthen the North East private sector economy.”

The NECC will also look at ways to use strong Local Enterprise Partnerships, business leadership and One North East assets for the benefit of the regional economy, as well as coordinated tourism marketing for attractions across the region.

It is hoped that the manifesto will now represent a rallying cry for regional businesses and the public sector to work together and ensure the North East’s economic recovery.

Mr Mowbray continued: “We are very clear about what it is that the North East businesses want in order to create jobs, encourage new investment and generate success, and the challenge for the next year is to maintain and accelerate the growth that businesses have started to deliver in 2011.

“The Government has demonstrated a willingness to forgo future tax revenues as a means of incentivising business, but more radical steps are required to stimulate private sector employment at a time when growth in private sector jobs in being more than offset by cuts in the public sector.

“With youth unemployment a cause for major concern, there is a real prospect of a ‘lost generation’ if this is not tackled.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .