Nottingham hit the national headlines this morning as one of the top 10 cities in the UK for growth.
The Centre for Cities’ 2015 Cities Outlook report identified Nottingham among the country’s top performing cities for job growth in its annual health-check of the economic performance of the UK’s 64 largest cities.
This year’s report highlights the widening gap between the UK’s best and worst performing cities, with Nottingham listed amongst the top 10.
Job growth in the City grew 7.7% between 2004 and 2013, with more than 21,000 additional positions created. Nottingham is one of only 4 cities outside the South that made the top 10.
Rising skill levels are a key factor in Nottingham’s success story as the City’s reputation grows as a leading knowledge-based local economy. The number of people with skill levels at NVQ 3 and above in Nottingham has increased by a third (32%) since 2004, above the average for Great Britain (29%).
Nottingham City Councillor and Portfolio Holder for Jobs and Growth, Nick McDonald, said: “We have put enormous effort into supporting businesses, creating jobs and Apprenticeships and restructuring our local economy. This is despite the huge cuts in funding to cities like Nottingham over the last few years. This report is further evidence that we are making positive progress and that the various initiatives we have introduced to support jobs and growth in the city are beginning to pay off and to provide benefits to Nottingham’s businesses and residents. If we had further devolved powers from government we could do so much more.”
Nottingham has been at the forefront of the debate for greater regional devolution, campaigning for greater powers – both fiscal and structural – to be granted to the UK’s cities. Devolved powers would enable cities to support growth and the flexibility to ensure money is spent where it is needed.
