While the world’s eyes are understandably focused on events in the Ukraine, it is imperative that as a government we remain focused on delivering our domestic priorities – and one of the most important is our levelling up agenda. But what do we mean by ‘levelling up’?
Achieving levelling up means sustainably rectifying the historical imbalance in our country’s growth, educational and living standards, to improve the lives of everyone. This imbalance, which exists not just geographically but also between our cities, towns, and rural areas, is in no-one’s interest. The agenda is often caricatured as being ‘anti’ London and the South, and by implication parts of the East such as our constituency which are ‘relatively wealthy’ – albeit only in parts. In fact, those parts of the country which are wealthier on paper are amongst the biggest losers as we have endured distorted house prices that often result in home ownership evading many in our community.
Most importantly, faced with the immediate challenge of inflation – hitting peoples’ pockets as our reopening economy sees intense global demand for energy and commodities – the fact is that availability of well-paid work spread more evenly around the country is the best antidote to a potential drop in living standards. Hence, it was so timely when earlier this month the Government published its Levelling Up White Paper, setting out wide ranging measures, and emphasising that there is no quick or simple fix for our long-term economic imbalance.
To those who have suggested that levelling up will not benefit our part of the world, the White Paper announced that our county would have the potentially historic opportunity to negotiate a devolution settlement, giving us the chance to drive prosperity with more levers in our control. The White Paper also assigns Suffolk as a new Education Investment Area, providing more funding for our local schools, e.g. with additional resource to keep the best teachers employed in our classrooms, through retention payments. In addition, we will have new powers and money to attract great Multi-Academy Trusts where schools are struggling. This underlines how creating new ‘talent magnets’ for our country through investment in skills and education must be a key part of levelling up.
Additionally, our county’s largest conurbations, Ipswich and Lowestoft, have already been awarded circa £50m between them from the Towns Investment Plan. Yes, Sudbury’s 2021 Levelling Up bid was not successful, but I would emphasise that funding is rarely granted at the first time of asking in such cases, and I was glad to link Babergh’s economic development with relevant officials at the Department of Levelling Up to hear what more can be done to enhance our offer whenever the next round comes.
When it comes to funding for South Suffolk, we should also remember that proposed works for Copdock Interchange – which sits in this constituency – would represent an investment of tens of millions, whichever specific option is chosen. This critical project stands to benefit not just local motorists and hauliers, but our national economy, due to the importance of freight flow from the Port of Felixstowe. I will be meeting Highways England officials shortly to review the results from the recent consultation.
But the most important part of any regional economic agenda must start with attracting private sector investment. The South Suffolk Taskforce, which I Chair, was instrumental in helping deliver our largest local such project, with GCB Cocoa’s multi-million pound investment into the former Philips Avent factory in Glemsford. I am delighted that planning permission for the new factory was recently granted and a developer to build this exciting and innovative job-creating facility has now been appointed.
The South Suffolk Taskforce also found that our local economy could be doing more to make the most of our artistic and cultural heritage. Beyond the substantial Heritage Lottery Funding that both St Peter’s Church and Gainsborough’s House have received, we will be working to build a joined-up visitor offer incorporating the latter’s amazing new development but also incorporating Constable country and Benton End. Further, only this week a brilliant new television series, the ‘Magpie Murders’, started streaming on BritBox. It’s set in beautiful Kersey, and I will be meeting ScreenSuffolk to see if there is more that we can do to attract productions here and promote our visitor economy.
These are anxious times, at home with rising prices, abroad with military tension. Yet our welcome journey out of the pandemic can still be a positive one as a nation, provided we can make the most of levelling up.
Published by the Suffolk Free Press.