The North East COVID-19 Response Group
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the biggest economic shock of our lifetimes, with no straightforward recovery.
To address this, the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group was convened, made up of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), CBI, North of Tyne and North East Combined Authorities with the support of industry, to ensure the North East has strong economic leadership that acts quickly and collaboratively to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
The North East Recovery and Renewal Deal was published in September 2020, which asks government for £2.8 billion investment to unlock half for the 100,000 more jobs required to support North East recovery quickly.
You can read the Recovery and Renewal Deal here.
The priority has to be more and better job creation, as well as job security and the quality of employment so the impacts are positive and embedded over the long-term. Prioritising jobs and skills will strengthen the economic recovery, as we invest in our people, alongside infrastructure and innovation.
Roadmap to recovery
This has manifested itself in a programme of activity built around five clear themes:
- Job recovery: Rapid and sustained interventions to help people into jobs and training, including a jobs recovery programme that will provide jobs and training for 20,000
- Building the economy of the future: Maximising the potential of our existing assets and exploring opportunities to enter new markets and supply chains – powered by innovation
- Supporting businesses: Rapid recovery of businesses and sectors
- Communities and place: Creating resilient places and strong communities as they adapt to living with COVID-19, as well as other challenges and opportunities and supporting the cultural recovery
- Digital and connectivity infrastructure investment: Building infrastructure to lead transformation and encourage future investment
We are liaising with government about our level of ambition and what we need to achieve a step change in our economy.
The commitment is there and now the hard work is also underway to make this transformative change happen. Join us and support us as we create a new North East in which we all live, work, contribute and thrive.