Category: Employability and Inclusion Schemes

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North East LEP Annual Review 2022-2023 Published

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has published its Annual Review detailing its activities during 2022-2023.

The LEP’s Annual Review highlights key achievements over the last 12 months and explores the new funding and decision-making powers that will be created as part of the North East Devolution Deal.

Particular achievements highlighted in this year’s report include the relaunch of the North East Evidence Hub, which brings together key data and evidence about the region to support decision making and to make evidence more accessible for stakeholders and partners across the region.

The report also describes how independent evaluation has demonstrated that businesses supported by the Growth Hub have achieved a £8.8k turnover per employee improvement and that overall, £292million additional Gross Value Added and 4,435 additional jobs have been added to the economy since 2017.

In Skills, the team has continued to make an impact locally and nationally in delivering the government’s technical education agenda for young people and adults, bringing together key regional stakeholders to develop and deliver a regional Apprentice Ready vision.

The LEP has also launched The North East Commercial Property Investment Fund, managed by FW Capital, this year. The fund provides loans of between £2 to £7 million to support new or refurbished grade A commercial office and industrial space. It is predicted that it will create up to £119 million investment over the next 15 years, creating 5,600 jobs and developing 140,000 sq m of commercial space.

Transport has always been central to the Strategic Economic Plan, lead fiercely by colleagues at Transport North East. The Annual Review details the significant investment that has been secured and released to drive forward the Transport Plan in 2022/23.

Helen Golightly, LEP Chief Executive Officer, said: “This Annual Review is full of activity that is driving forward our mission to deliver the North East Strategic Economic Plan. Our plan has always been to create 100,000 more jobs in the economy, of which 70% are better jobs, between 2014 and 2024 as we strive to create a stronger, greener and more inclusive economy for the region.

“It is currently a time of transition for the LEP following the exciting announcement of the North East Devolution Deal. The Annual Review details our commitment to a strengthened region-wide partnership working with colleagues to play our part in realising this ambitious, historic deal.”

Click here to view the 2022/23 Annual Review.

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Career pathways for shortage roles

A new resource to boost skills in the region’s health and life sciences sector

Health and Life Sciences – Career pathways for shortage roles is a new resource designed to help:

  • Businesses working in the region’s health and life sciences sector address skills shortages for key roles
  • Education and training providers develop industry relevant curriculum
  • The wider industry grow and thrive in the North East.

It has been developed in response to the publication of the North East Health, Life Sciences and Medicines Manufacturing Strategy, which aims to double the number of jobs and businesses in the health and life sciences sector by 2030.

What is Health and Life Sciences – Career pathways for shortage roles?

A free online resource for businesses working in the North East’s health and life sciences sector, Health and Life Sciences – Career pathways for shortage roles outlines the basic and essential skills needed for six key roles where a shortage of appropriately skilled candidates has been identified. The six key roles are:

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Process Engineer
  • Software Engineer
  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Lab Technician
  • Project Manager.

What help and support can businesses access?

Employers can see the education and training routes available in the region to allow them to grow talent into the six specific roles, including:

Education and training

  • Apprenticeships
  • T Levels
  • Further education.

Uptake of apprenticeships and other vocational qualifications is very low in the health and life sciences sector.

The resource uses existing good practice and occupational maps from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to identify better ways to utilise apprenticeship funding and advancements in technical education to develop talent into the six key shortage roles.

Education contacts and courses

Businesses can access information on local education contacts as well as training and courses relevant to each role.

Case studies

Employers can also read case studies about local employers who have successfully adopted the education and training routes outlined in the resource to increase workforce development.

What support is available for education and training providers?

Insight to develop an industry relevant curriculum

In addition to supporting employers in the region with recruitment challenges, the new resource also provides information on skills shortages in the sector, which education and training providers can use to inform the development of an industry relevant curriculum and inform young people about career pathways into in the sector.

How do I access the resources?

Visit the Health and Life Sciences – Career pathways for shortage roles resource.

Visit the North East Health and Life Sciences Sector Careers Toolkit.

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Young trainees share their experiences of gaining conservation, woodland and land management skills

Young people who took part in six-month traineeships in Northumberland have shared their experiences of gaining skills in conservation, land management and woodland maintenance.

The trainees took part in Groundwork North East’s Green Futures programme, which was part-funded by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)’s Local Growth Fund VCSE Capital Grant programme, which aims to help communities across the North East recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Overall, more than 50 young people aged between 16 and 24 have taken part in training and volunteering, gaining skills that will set them up for future careers in the ‘green economy’. Five of the young people completed six-month paid Kickstart traineeships, working at two sites: Pegswood Moor Country Park and Pegswood Community Woods, near Morpeth, Northumberland.

Here, they share their experiences of the Kickstart placements:

What made you decide to apply for a Kickstart traineeship at Groundwork North East in Northumberland?

Ethan M: “I was unemployed after my A levels and I started volunteering at Groundwork NE as I am interested in conservation and wildlife. So I applied for the Kickstart job.”

Will: “I liked the idea of helping wildlife and being outdoors, I had worked in a primary school as a lunchtime assistant for two hours a day, this involved serving food, supervising the children and writing up first aid incidents. Before that I was at college doing art, design and animation and then I decided I wanted to get into more physical outdoor work.”

What has been your favourite aspect of the programme?

Dale: “For me, the opportunity to get qualifications in tree surgery and related land qualifications. I don’t think I could have got them otherwise as I have been trying for seven years. But between living, rent and food there wasn’t enough…I have really enjoyed being part of the Kickstart Team working alongside other young people at Groundwork in Northumberland. I’ve learned about conservation, protecting wildlife and also gained some really valuable qualifications including tree surgery.”

Ethan M: “I enjoy working with the team – I had only worked in a team in college so now I am more familiar being in a team in a workplace. Everything you do carries everyone in the team so it’s important that no-one is doing less than anyone else.”

What have you learned through the Green Futures Kickstart programme about sustainable practices which protect the environment?

Ethan M: “We learned about the biology of the trees in Pegswood Country Park which used to be an open cast mine. There has been a lot of storm damage, due to the poor, shallow soil, it is not enough for the roots to grow deeply. We planted thousands of wildflowers in the meadow plantation and we have also done crown lifting of trees to improve light and sightlines which helps deter anti-social behaviour. We have removed blackthorn – they are invasive as they will grow through paths so they need cleared.”

Will: “We have learned all about pruning and lopping techniques, how to saw and what to prune or not prune so that trees don’t get diseased. We have been doing crown lifting to allow more sunlight to come in and let the smaller trees grow better and to allow clearer pathways so everything is not packed together.”

What has it been like being part of a team of Kickstarters?

Ethan M: “This was my first time in a working environment, it’s been a great experience and especially useful for me to work in a team on a regular basis.”

Will: “It was good to get an idea of what it is like in a work environment and working with different people, I have not really experienced that. At Groundwork we have worked with people doing different jobs so this has included working in the country park and with local community groups who partner with Groundwork.”

Can you talk about the individual projects you have worked on and give some examples of the practical skills you have achieved?

Curzon: “I used oak to make a rustic bench as a feature in the park, it would have cost a fortune to buy it and we used wood that would otherwise have rotted. Working with the Ashington Woods Community Group, one of the Friends, Dennis, has an Alaskan style saw mill which we learned how to use…It took a lot of force to push it and I learned how to keep it straight and keep the chainsaw steady. These skills have been great to learn.”

Will and Ethan: “We are going to make more benches as when Groundwork have talked to local people, it is important for them to have spaces to have a rest. We are going to find out where they would like these in the park and then make and install these as part of our project. It will form an accessible route around the park.”

What has it been like working with Groundwork North East staff?

Will: “I’ve become much more familiar with daily tasks, knowing what to do with each task so I can be more independent when getting ready to work on jobs around the park. Doing things more independently is a good feeling and it makes me feel confident about my job.”

Have you enjoyed getting involved in sessions with volunteers and the wider community?

Ethan M: “We worked with volunteers at the pit heap, the community woods volunteers and school children who volunteer form a local school regularly. It was sad after Storm Arwen as the Friends of Pegswood Woods were devastated that there were hundreds of wind blow trees. One of the volunteers, Jean, was in tears.”

Dale: “We worked with Barry, the Tree Officer for Northumberland County Council and Groundwork NE, to help clear the area.”

Do you think your job and employment prospects have improved as a result of your training at Groundwork NE and the Green Futures programme?

Dale: “Gaining qualifications for my CV and having a good job will really help. I have talked to some local employers, it makes it more enticing to hire you. The companies have some commercial projects coming up so they will contact me when spaces become available and I am also looking for jobs. I’d be really happy if I don’t have to move away.”

What advice would you give other young people seeking opportunities?

Dale: “Even if it’s not a job you might be interested in give it a shot.”

Ethan M: “Volunteering paved the way absolutely for me at Pegswood Country Park, it definitely helped me to get onto this programme. I would say keep looking for opportunities and don’t give up.”

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How international students help create a more prosperous North East economy

By Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Engagement & Place at Newcastle University

The North East is home to some of the best universities in the world, and because of our global reputation we welcome thousands of international and EU students every year.

In the 2018/19 academic year 12,595 international first year students came to study in the North East, and a new report by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Universities UK International has looked in detail at the benefits international higher education students bring to both the UK and regional economy.

The report shows the 2018/19 cohort of international students in the UK delivered a net economic benefit to the country of £25.9 billion. In the North East LEP area, the total net impact on the economy was just under £1bn (£975.9m).

In fact the North East region, including Tees Valley, delivers one of the highest average impacts per parliamentary constituency in the country; an estimated £460 per member of the resident population, second only to London and on par with Scotland. Newcastle upon Tyne East is ranked fourth in the top 20 parliamentary constituencies in terms of the net impact international students have on the economy.

The UK’s exit from the European Union and the coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly created barriers for international students to study in the UK, something that is reflected in EU student recruitment, which is currently lower than in 2020. International student numbers have, however, stayed relatively stable in the 2020/21 academic year.

Whilst the findings in the report are extremely positive for the North East region, it fails to include is some of the other important indirect benefits international students bring to our regional economy, such as tax revenues, investment and trade links, and the soft diplomatic power exerted on an international stage as a result of the networks built up during their stays.

We only need to look at the hugely successful alcoholic tea company NOVELTEA, which was founded by two international Newcastle University students in 2016 to see this in action. Based in Newcastle, the company has expanded into several international markets – including Germany and China – and plans to create further jobs as it eyes expansion into the US. By choosing to remain in the North East to grow their business, NOVELTEA’s co-founders, Vincent Effroth and Lukas Passia, have created new jobs, boosted the North East economy, established positive trade links and raised the profile of our region internationally.

Newcastle University’s START UP programme is also supporting and endorsing ambitious international graduates to remain in the UK to start and grow businesses. Four of the programme’s graduates have been accepted onto the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) prestigious Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP), which connects companies into the global ecosystem and supports them to scale their solution to address global opportunities. The partnership between START UP and GEP allows highly motivated, talented entrepreneurs to thrive in our region and add significant value to both the regional economy and UK PLC.

The Higher Education Policy Institute and Universities UK International report focuses solely on the economic benefits international students bring to academic institutions and destinations, but I think it’s important to remember the North East benefits in a number of other ways too. The wider cultural and societal impacts are just as important to our region.

At Newcastle University alone we have over 150 nationalities represented on campus, and that diversity helps create a more vibrant and creative environment for all our students.

We’re seeing many international students remain in the North East after their studies to take up skilled positions in our emerging sectors, or start new businesses of their own, which go on to employ people and contribute to our local economy.

If we think about the North East’s strengths in data and digital, life sciences and the green economy, as well as our cultural and creative opportunities, the global links we’ve established through our international students can create opportunities for North East businesses to attract talent and investment.

I also firmly believe our UK students enjoy a better learning experience because of the diversity on our campuses. It’s a chance for them to build connections across the world that can open up a world of opportunity.

The report makes for fascinating reading, and further demonstrates the essential role universities in the North East play in delivering a stronger North East economy and a vibrant and diverse place to live, work and study.

To read ‘The costs and benefits of international higher education students to the UK economy’ visit www.hepi.ac.uk.

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New report shows impact of COVID-19 on Good Work Agenda in the North East

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership and Durham University Business School have published a new report looking at how COVID-19, and the introduction of widespread flexible working, has contributed to the Good Work Agenda in the North East.

Researched and written during the coronavirus pandemic, it provides a unique insight into how changing working patterns accelerated employers’ ability to ensure better working practices for their employees, providing better quality and more meaningful work.

The new research supports existing Good Work pledges, charters and toolkits published by organisations including the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Northern Trades Union Congress, and North East England Chamber of Commerce.

Drawing on more than 20 qualitative interviews carried out between January and April 2021, the report includes a set of recommendations to support other businesses in the North East to implement and carry out better working practices for their employees.

Michelle Rainbow, Skills Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The unique thing about this research is that it was developed in real time during the pandemic, which was a period of huge change for businesses.

“Almost all organisations were compelled to introduce some form of flexible working, which introduced its own set of challenges for employers and employees. How do you provide a supportive and rewarding working environment when your staff are instructed to work from home by government?”

“What we’ve found is that lots of businesses in the North East have been installing the principles of Good Work as a result of the pandemic. The introduction of remote and hybrid working has helped employers focus on important employee issues, such as work/life balance, flexible working, health and wellbeing, and communication.”

Organisations including AkzoNobel, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Irwin Mitchell LLP and Quorum Business Park took part in the research. Employers discussed how the experience of adapting during the pandemic has introduced better working practices for employees, particularly around areas like flexible working, encouraging a healthy work/life balance, and what the future of work will look like post-pandemic.

Contributors described good work as being more than just having a good job; it was about delivering justice, fairness, transparency, opportunity, balance, enjoyment, and support.

A spokesperson from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “Although we were quite flexible before COVID-19, we have been really flexible during it, and I think it will be about maintaining that and looking at different ways to support people within the various things that they go through in life.”

A spokesperson from AkzoNobel said: “Obviously when you introduce a policy like flexible working, people immediately think it is just for mothers who have children, to allow them to do drop offs. We very much promoted it in that it is not, if you have got a hobby on a Friday afternoon that you want to go and do, we want to encourage you to go and do it.”

The Good Work Agenda and flexible working report was conducted and written by Dr. Cat Spellman, Prof. Jo McBride from Durham University Business School, and Dr. Andrew Smith from Sheffield University Management School, in collaboration with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership. It was funded by a Durham ESRC IAA grant awarded by national research body, UK Research and Innovation.

Professor Jo McBride, Chair in Work and Employment Relations at Durham University Business School, said: “COVID-19 restrictions forced a rapid extension of a more flexible way of working. For many organisations this contributed to a reflection and reassessment of the future of work in their workplaces. It also led to the realisation for some of the significant value of a workforce.

“At a time when organisations are faced with an opportunity to proactively change the way they work and improve their employment relationship, this is also a perfect opportunity to link into and develop the Good Work Agenda.”

Michelle Rainbow from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership added: “I think the timing of the publication of this research is important because many organisations are considering what the future looks like in terms of how and where their employees work.

“The insight we have gathered will, I hope, give businesses confidence in knowing they’re not alone in tackling these issues. The conclusions and recommendations in the report are focused on centering policies around employees’ needs, welfare and wellbeing; and that is at the core of the Good Work Agenda.”

The impact of COVID-19 on the Good Work Agenda and flexible working is available to read on the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Evidence Hub via evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk.

For more information about the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, visit www.northeastlep.co.uk.

For more information about Durham University Business School, visit www.dur.ac.uk/business.

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North East Local Enterprise Partnership reaction to ONS regional labour market statistics

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (North East LEP) Strategy and Policy Director, Richard Baker, has commented on today’s regional labour market statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)*.

“The latest data covers the March to May period, during which some COVID-19 restrictions were eased. Despite these changes, the overall labour market picture remained relatively unchanged on the previous (December to February) quarter with both the employment and unemployment rates remaining the same. 

“The North East continues to have the lowest working-age employment rate (72.0%) among the nine English regions and the second highest unemployment rate (5.8% of the economically active). The region also has the highest proportion of people who are economically inactive (23.6%).

“ONS continue to innovate with new data approaches to provide more up to date intelligence to support assessment of the economy, for example, a new experimental measure of payrolled employees. This suggests a more positive picture with the latest monthly estimate showing there was an increase of almost 12,000 payrolled employees in June. This is encouraging and we will monitor how this new data set develops given it is subject to revision and excludes information about self-employed workers.

“Beneath the general figures, COVID-19 continues to have an impact on the working lives of many people in the North East region and appears to be exacerbating inequalities. Whilst people were securing new jobs and there is growth in vacancies, about 4,400 workers experienced redundancy in the latest quarter, more than twice the total in the previous quarter and bringing the total to over 32,000 since March 2020. The latest data shows a particular impact on women in the North East with female employment falling by 3,600 in the latest quarter, in contrast to a 2,800 increase among males.

“Job seekers claimant count data provides indications of the variations of unemployment within the North East LEP area. At constituency level, the rates range from 2.8% in Hexham to 9.0% in South Shields.

“At the end of May, almost 63,000 workers in the North East LEP area were still furloughed, with workers in food and accommodation services still making up almost a quarter of this figure. Manufacturing accounted for 11,000 of the furloughed workers, a total that did not drop during those three months. 

“This provides a strong rationale for the ‘Levelling Up’ agenda with support needed to the North East as a whole and for places within the region. Over the longer term, our Recovery Plan sets out proposals to drive forward our vision of a more sustainable, competitive and inclusive regional economy. As the Prime Minister outlines the next steps with for the Levelling Up strategy, the North East LEP will continue to work with Government and our partners to provide support to our regional economy as we work through the recovery phase to seek investment into these proposals.”

*The official data released today includes employment information based on surveys in three month period March to May 2021 for the North East region, which includes the North East and Tees Valley LEP areas. It also includes experimental estimates of payrolled employee numbers and job seekers claimant count numbers for June 2021. The regional data has been revised to take account of improved population estimates.

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North East Local Enterprise Partnership reaction to ONS regional labour market statistics

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (North East LEP) Strategy and Policy Director, Richard Baker, has commented on today’s regional labour market statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

“As we mark the anniversary of the first lockdown, today’s data release is a timely reminder of the changes which COVID-19 has meant for our labour market. It provides the latest official data which includes regional employment information for the three months up to and including January 2021 and also annual comparisons.

“In the most recent months, the headline data has been stable. The employment rate in the North East region, which includes the North East and Tees Valley LEP areas, remains the lowest in England at 71.3 per cent, 0.1 percentage points higher than in the last quarter but 0.4 percentage points down on a year ago.

“The region has the second highest unemployment rate (6.2 per cent of the economically active) and the highest proportion of working age people who are economically inactive (23.8 per cent). Almost 30,000 workers in the region have been made redundant during the past year.

“However, some of the recent impact of COVID-19 has been masked by an increase in the use of furlough in the region. Over 114,000 North East employments were furloughed at the end of January, more than double the total of three months earlier. Most furloughed workers continue to be classified as employed in the official statistics.

“The impact on different groups in our population has been different. Younger people have experienced particular challenges both in employment and training and there have also been different patterns in the impact for men and women in the past year. The number of unemployed women has increased by 14 per cent, while male unemployment is lower (by about 8 per cent). Almost 52 per cent of furloughed workers in the North East at the end of January were female.

“The progress we are seeing towards the lifting of lockdown restrictions offers hope for the thousands of businesses unable to trade. Support for these businesses remaining under restrictions needs to continue.

“The North East LEP will continue to work with government as we look to drive forward our economy and address some of the key challenges which COVID-19 has created in our region.”

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Universities support North East’s economic recovery: START UP at Newcastle University

Universities have a vital role to play in helping the North East economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The work being delivered by North East universities is supporting new and existing businesses to innovate and grow, and shaping and supporting a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, University of Sunderland and Teesside University are all members of the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group, which was established by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic to provide business resilience and ensure a collective response to the economic impact of COVID-19 on the North East economy.

Below is a case study about Newcastle University’s START UP offer, with a focus on the impact student and graduate businesses it supports are having within the region, and how they are responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Newcastle University is ranked Top 5 in the UK for graduate entrepreneurship based on start-up turnover and investment raised. Based on average investment per start-up, the University is ranked Top 10 in the UK for scalable graduate start-ups and has generated the most investable graduate start-ups in the North East.

START UP is an equity-free support system for Newcastle University students and graduates up to three years and includes START UP Founderships, a pre-accelerator programme to ready the individual and their businesses for market entry, investment and success.

There are currently 203 START UP-supported businesses trading with a combined annual turnover of close to £60 million. Between them, they’ve raised over £19 million in external investment, won national and global awards and created 695 full-time equivalent jobs.

*All rankings and statistics from HE-BCI Survey 2018-19.

Over 70% of these businesses have remained in the North East, many of which recruit within the region, such as One Utility Bill, Nebula Labs and My Healthcare Recruit. Many the businesses are securing impressive investment figures.

In September 2020, Equiwatt raised over £300,000 to roll-out its innovative, energy-efficient app and create four new jobs in Newcastle. A month prior, Tea Ventures Ltd (NovelTea) welcomed 1,000 investors onboard as part of a crowdfund campaign that raised £577,000 to advance its plans to break into the US market, and in December, gained a further £1.4M investment for expansion and job creation.

Many of the START UP founders are persevering or finding ways to pivot despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. Some have received grant support through Newcastle University’s partnership with Santander Universities UK to help them survive and thrive in 2020, and others are applying to a newly launched fund of £40,000.

“Last year with Santander Universities, we launched a Covid-19 Fund to help our START UP community adapt in response to the global crisis, supporting some businesses to scale in order to meet new demand. This new Fund is about stimulating and supporting the next wave of entrepreneurs and changemakers who will have a critical role to play in our economic and social recovery” said Claire Adamson, START UP Manager, Newcastle University. “It is also about making visible and celebrating the individuals joining the growing community of Newcastle University students and graduates who have created their own graduate jobs as well as employment opportunities for others”, she added.

Santander Universities has been in partnership with Newcastle University since 2009 and has provided close to £1.7M to the University, with £189k appointed to enterprise activities.

Matt Hutnell, Director, Santander Universities, says: “Santander is committed to supporting higher education as well as local communities across the UK. We’re proud of our partnership with Newcastle University and we’re delighted to support their new Start Up Fund which will enable many more budding entrepreneurs to thrive, particularly during this challenging time.”

To find out more about START UP, visit www.ncl.ac.uk.

Click here to read more about how universities in the region are playing a central role in supporting the region to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Click here to read more about the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group.

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North East Local Enterprise Partnership reaction to ONS regional labour market statistics

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (North East LEP) Strategy and Policy Director, Richard Baker, has commented on today’s regional labour market statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

“Today’s figures continue to demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 on our economy with a continuing decrease in employment and a rise in the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits.

“The decision to extend the furlough scheme will protect many jobs for the future. However, it remains an uncertain time for businesses as a result of Covid controls and the need to continue to adapt to new processes following the Trade Deal with the European Union.

“It is essential that government continues to support the economy through the pandemic and invests to support the proposals in our COVID-19 Recovery Plan to enable us to drive forward our region’s recovery.

“The data released today covers the three-month period to November 2020. Employment continued to decrease during this time, both nationally and in the North East. The employment rate for the North East region, including the North East LEP and the Tees Valley LEP areas, was the lowest in England at 71.2 per cent. Both the unemployment rate and the number of working age people outside the labour market were much higher than they were between March and May 2020. The number of people being made redundant was at its highest level since 2009.

“In the North East LEP area, the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits has increased by over 31,000 since March, with rates at 10 per cent in some areas. Employment in the region has fallen in most age groups, but the largest impact appears to have been on those aged under 25 and among 50 to 64-year-olds.

“These statistics include the November lockdown period but do not include the impact of the restrictions since Christmas.

“Strategic leadership and a strong partnership with government is more critical than ever – we will work closely with government to ensure that support for businesses is reflective of the need of our region.”