Member Article

Three priorities to build a stronger Nottingham economy

Big opportunities lie ahead for Nottingham. Unemployment is falling, local companies are expanding, and significant investment has been secured for the local economy.

There are challenges ahead, too, but we can overcome them if central and local government keep working together.

That’s why I was honoured to be appointed Communities Secretary. The work of my department – house-building, devolving power to councils, strengthening communities – all are central objectives of Theresa May’s One Nation government.

And – since I’d argue that the most effective politics is local politics – that means I’m ready to work closely with local government. Town by town, city by city and county by county, we can work together to build the homes we need, help local businesses grow and create jobs, and provide excellent public services.

I have three priorities.

First: we must build more homes. We inherited housing deficit in 2010 that will take another Parliament to turn around.

Behind the statistics of house-building are the life stories of real people. I’m not prepared to see young people denied the home-owning opportunities which my generation could almost take for granted, for example, or young couples forced to choose between starting a family or owning a home.

We know that upwards of 85% of us want to own our home. My aim is to ensure that anyone who works hard can do so.

We are doubling the investment in housing, including the largest affordable house building programme since the 1970s, and helping a million home buyers get on the housing ladder.

My second priority: to push economic growth to every part of our country.

We have already signed billions of pounds worth of Growth Deals, enabling local leaders to work with businesses to back projects that improve infrastructure, create jobs, and help our best industries to grow and prosper. We’ve already agreed ten devolution deals covering more than a third of the country, and now we want Nottinghamshire to benefit as well.

My third priority is to strengthen the bonds between people within our communities. Our choice to leave the EU was a momentous choice, and there’s no doubt it revealed – not created – tensions in our society.

I grew up in a poor part of Bristol, the son of an immigrant family: so I understand, completely, these tensions.

The push for new jobs, the new houses we’ll build – these are practical measures designed to ensure that everyone benefits from Britain’s progress.

But my department will also provide £1m to support projects which challenge prejudice. We must uphold the principles of tolerance and mutual respect – these are the values which bind us together.

There are many reasons for optimism. Major companies like Reuters are setting up in your city, jobs are being created in bioscience and new investment in local roads and HS2 will ensure Nottingham is central to the Midlands Engine.

Together we will build more homes, help more businesses grow, help councils Nottingham better public services. You can count on my support, and that of my whole department, as Nottingham looks confidently towards the future.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sajid Javid .