City Deals for Coventry, Norwich, the Black Country and Cambridge
Nick Clegg, with cities Minister Greg Clark, announces details for the Black Country, Coventry, Norwich, and Cambridge City Deals.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, and cities Minister Greg Clark, have announced the details for 3 City Deals for; Coventry and Warwickshire, Norwich and the surrounding area, the Black Country, with a Memorandum of Understanding being agreed for Cambridge.
The deals will provide a total of over £320 million of public and private sector investment, with over 39,000 jobs created.
The announcement comes as the Deputy Prime Minister visits Norwich Research Park where he will meet staff working in laboratories and see the site’s on going development which will be used as a catalyst for economic growth.
He will also be visiting Cambridge to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Greater Cambridge City Deal - alongside local council leaders, the University of Cambridge and business leaders.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:
We’re giving cities the freedom, powers and tools to be really innovative and design whole new ways to build a stronger economy and fairer society.
This isn’t pointless Whitehall jargon: these City Deals have the genuine power to change the fortunes of many people across the regions by creating new jobs, boosting businesses and providing new housing.
These deals put the power in the hands of local people who know best what skills are needed and how to make sure young people are prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that economic growth will bring.
City Deal details
Coventry and Warwickshire
The City Deal:
- is expected to create over 15,000 new jobs by 2025
- of which over 8,800 will be in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector
- will provide over £90 million of public and private sector investment
- sees a new Shared Apprentice Scheme which will see apprentices gaining work-based training in a number of small and medium-sized enterprises
- sees a new Skills 4 Growth programme which will tackle skills gaps for small and medium-sized enterprises in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector
Greg Clark, Minister for Cities, said:
Coventry and Warwickshire is world renowned for advanced manufacturing and engineering. Businesses in the area can create high quality jobs for local people for years to come.
This City Deal has been proposed by local businesses, civic leaders and universities. It will support advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses that want to expand, export and innovate. It will help ensure that as order books fill, local people have the skills to take up the jobs that have been created. I look forward to being in Coventry and Warwickshire in the New Year as we will put this deal into effect.
Norwich and the surrounding area
The deal is expected to:
- create more than 19,000 jobs
- 3,000 high value jobs at Norwich Research Park
- 2,000 jobs around Norwich International Airport
- 1,000 jobs based around Norwich University of the Arts
- 6,000 construction jobs
- support 300 new businesses
- secure an additional £100 million of private investment to utilise Norwich’s high-tech expertise
- see 3,000 additional homes built, leading to a predicted £2.3 billion private sector investment in housing
Minister for Cities Greg Clark said:
This City Deal is a landmark achievement. It puts the levers of power firmly into the hands of Norwich and the surrounding area, so that everyone can benefit from real, local economic growth.
The jobs that it will create, making the most of Norwich’s renowned expertise in the knowledge economy, will put the area in a prime position to take advantage as the economy turns the corner.
I pay tribute to the way in which business and civic leaders across the region have pulled out the stops to develop this hugely important deal, and I look forward to my visit to Norwich in the New Year.
The Black Country
The areas covered by the deal are Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell, it will:
- bring around £130 million of private investment to the region
- create 5,800 new manufacturing jobs in the next 4 years
- create at least 1,500 apprenticeships in high value manufacturing jobs
- a new Black Country Investment Fund has been created to help develop key industrial sites
- develop a programme to work intensively with 2,800 long term unemployed social housing tenants in the area
- moving at least 900 into employment
- reducing welfare benefit costs by £1.1 million
- increase wages by £19 million
Greg Clark, Minister for Cities, said:
This City Deal is a landmark achievement. ‘Made in the Black Country’ has always been a mark of high standards at the cutting edge. This deal is made in the Black Country – proposed by the united voice of local businesses and civic leaders - the government has given it a resounding ‘yes’.
The jobs that it will create, the commercial sites it will unlock and the skills it will provide to young people and the long-term unemployed will put the Black Country in a prime position to take advantage as the economy turns the corner.
I pay tribute to the way in which business and civic leaders across the Black Country have pulled out the stops to develop this hugely important deal, and I look forward to my visit to the region in the New Year.
Cambridge
A Memorandum of Understanding is to be signed, the next step towards as ambitious City Deal resulting in:
- the government investing £6 million to improve infrastructure around the site of the proposed new railway station planned at Cambridge Science Park
- when finalised, the deal will secure millions of pounds in funding for crucial transport and housing schemes, pave the way for thousands of new homes and create over 420 apprenticeships over a 5 year period
Minister for Cities, Greg Clark, said:
Cambridge is a powerhouse for growth in Britain. To achieve all it can, Cambridge’s infrastructure – transport and housing – must keep pace with its success.
This transformational agreement will provide the means to do so in a way that benefits the local economy and Britain’s economy.
Department for Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said:
This package will provide important local transport links critical to the proposed new station for Cambridge Science Park.
Our £6 million investment into this project as part of the Cambridge City Deal reflects our commitment to infrastructure projects that unlock economic growth and improve access and connections for high tech businesses.
City Deals
The first wave of City Deals, agreed with the 8 core cities, were finalised in September 2012.
In October 2012, the Government invited 20 cities and their wider areas to negotiate for the second wave of City Deals.