Cheshire West and Chester Local Area Industrial Strategy LIS engagement session 12 June 2019
Local Area Industrial Strategy
What is a Local Area Industrial Strategy • An approach unique to Cheshire and Warrington • To look in more depth at local strengths, assets and challenges which are overshadowed at sub-regional level • Will link in with the LIS and provide complementary focus
CW&C Local Area Industrial Strategy We’ve looked in detail at the evidence around: • Local productivity • Local distinctive sectoral strengths and clusters • Local employment and pay • Place-based opportunities and challenges
Headlines from the Local Area Industrial Strategy (LAIS)
A strong economy but signs of challenges A £10.4bn economy contributing to a £30.9bn sub-regional economy 3.0% average annual GVA growth compared to 2.7% in Cheshire & Warrington, 2.2% in the UK and 2.1% in the NW Higher than average GVA per head – £30,677 £35.51 produced per hour worked – higher than Cheshire & Warrington, NW and UK but little growth between 2012 and 2017 at 0.1% on average per annum
With distinctive strengths in manufacturing The largest sector by GVA – £2.4bn Sub-sectoral strengths in: Chemicals – 4x High employment with 15,000 jobs specialised as GB with 2,250 £160,800 produced per job – twice as jobs; especially inorganic productive as GB base chemicals Growing faster than GB – GVA, jobs Automotive – 3x as and sectors specialised as Cheshire Science Corridor sites GB with 2,750 including Ellesmere Port, Thornton and jobs Protos Above manufacturing figures include food and drink manufacturing.
And the financial sector Contributes £1.2bn to the local economy Financial service activities is 2.5 times Of 8,500 jobs, 7,000 are in financial more specialised than GB service activities with specific strengths £ in banking and credit £139,412 per job – 34% more granting productive than C&W and 14% more productive than GB 3.0% average annual GVA growth compared to almost no growth nationally
As well as other sectors 5,400 jobs in agri-food with a rich agricultural sector and specialisms in bread, pastry and cake manufacture A diverse visitor economy with 18,050 jobs and anchor visitor attractions including Chester Zoo and Cheshire Oaks A strategically important energy with 1/3 European uranium processed at Capenhurst and a cluster of assets along the Mersey Estuary Chester is a top ten creative cluster
But there are inclusive growth challenges Over one third of employee jobs are part-time – higher than average Part-time work more common in hospitality, leisure, retail, education , health & social care, and town & city centres Part-time resident jobs pay almost 34% less and part-time workplace jobs pay almost 30% less than full-time 23.3% workplace jobs pay below the Living Wage compared to 22.0% nationally Challenges around housing – mix of offer across the borough, transport and connectivity
This is a diverse area A mixture of urban, industrial and rural areas Concentration of jobs in urban centres (Chester), business parks (Chester and Gadbrook) and industrial areas (Ellesmere Port and Ince) A diverse economy in rural areas – 36% of total businesses, 42,000 jobs and strengths in wholesale & retail, visitor economy, professional services and agri-food £3.65m invested in the LEADER programme supporting diverse rural businesses
With strong links to the Mersey Dee Part of three regional economic groupings: Cheshire and Warrington LEP , Mersey Dee Alliance and the Constellation Partnership Strong economic links to North East Wales and the Wirral Sectoral strengths – manufacturing, agri-food and visitor economy 41,300 total commuter movements between Cheshire West and the Mersey Dee
Group discussion
Discussion • Does the evidence resonate with you? Can you suggest any additions? • For our key sectors of manufacturing, finance, agri-food, visitor economy, digital and creative, energy and retail • What are the opportunities and challenges? • What practical actions are needed under the five foundations of productivity?
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