Have your say on Hull’s economic future
Picture by Tom Arran Commercial Photography
People are being invited to have their say to help shape Hull’s economic future.
Hull City Council is asking residents and businesses for their views as part of a consultation on its economic strategy, which aims to boost employment, make the city more attractive to visitors and increase productivity and wages.
The strategy is also intended to respond to the immediate challenges presented by Covid-19 to local businesses and industries and make sure the council is able to secure funding from the Government, as well as attract new investment into the city to help to create jobs.
The results of the survey will be used to help the council focus on the right priorities, industries and areas of the city.
Councillor Daren Hale, Portfolio Holder for Economic Investment, Regeneration, Planning, Land and Property, said: “In the past few years, Hull has seen billions of pounds in public and private sector investment and celebrated a year as City of Culture 2017.
“Last year, before Covid, Hull was seeing its highest levels of employment and highest numbers of new businesses starting up in the city, while also exceeding housing completion targets.
“But now we find ourselves in an economically challenging environment as we recover from and learn to deal with the longer term effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. The economic impacts of the pandemic on already disadvantaged people is a primary focus, alongside the opportunities of devolution and closer working with our neighbours to deliver economic growth.
‘ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT’: Daren Hale. Picture by Neil Holmes Photography
“In order to respond to these challenges and take advantage of Hull’s significant strengths and opportunities, we have developed the economic strategy for consultation. This will provide a framework to ensure the city benefits from opportunities ahead, linking in to Hull’s health and wellbeing and place based strategies and contributing to the new Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY LEP).
“This strategy does not attempt to do everything - that is just not possible. But we intend to provide confidence to investors about this city’s positive direction of travel and provide a focus for the medium term as we recover from an unprecedented period of economic challenge and move forward to embrace new opportunities.”
The strategy is broken down into three key themes:
People – what can we do to make sure everyone in Hull is able to take advantage of opportunities and benefit from its successes?
Place – what can we do to build on the best of Hull’s business, leisure, and cultural offer?
Productivity – what can we do to improve prosperity by creating high skilled, well paid jobs?
All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw to win £250 of high street shopping vouchers.
The survey can be taken here.
The closing date is Friday, June 11.