Our City p1 11/2/15 09:50 Page 1 ISSUE 39: SPRING 2015 Stoke-on-Trent Free cycling map with this Our Citymagazine New campaign drives home recycling message See centre pages Our City p2 11/2/15 09:53 Page 1 2 Our City SPRING 2015 Successful city Jobs and growth The view from the Wolstanton retail park junction on the A500 looking pushes ahead towards the Etruria Valley site. fast on future quality of life By City Council Leader Councillor MOHAMMED PERVEZ STOKE-on-Trent is growing fast, and that’s official.The city has been identified by Government as being in the UK’s top five places for economic growth. I know many people are still struggling to improve their lives, but we are out of the dark days of economic gloom and pushing ahead fast. There’s a long way to go, but this city is alive with enthusiasm and energy once again. The number of jobs being created is increasing faster than many other cities – over 3,000 new jobs over the last two years.That’s two and a half times faster than the national average. Portmeirion has reported growing profits and is investing to increase production by 50 per cent. Steelite made a similar investment last year. New companies are setting up.The industrial roots of this city are growing again. Green light for road to Businesses are clear that this city needs a strong city centre where international investors feel at home.That’s why we are building Smithfield, the city’s new central business district.That’s why we signed the City Deal boost jobs and growth with Government to develop the UK’s largest deep geothermal district heating system. Independent experts, the Centre for Cities, have said we are doing the MULTI-MILLION pound this project is a key priority. accommodate around 250 new houses. “The scheme, which will be The delivery of this project provides a right thing. road and infrastructure delivered in stages, will also see an great boost to our fast-developing city New house building is on the up and our successful Ascheme now getting additional lane constructed in each centre.” £1 homes initiative is world famous.We’re investing in underway in Stoke-on-Trent is direction on the A500 between Business leaders have welcomed warm homes for local people, putting us in the top five a key project in the delivery of Porthill and Wolstanton.The council is news that the Etruria Valley link road councils in the country. the council’s vision for a working closely with landowners and and A500 improvements will be going Education results are closing the gap with the renaissance, helping to take the others involved in the proposals to ahead in 2015. national average and the number of young people who city into the fast lane. ensure the project can go ahead in a Jane Gratton, Deputy Chief are not in education or training – known as NEETS – is Work is due to start on a timely fashion. Executive of the Staffordshire falling faster than anywhere else in the Midlands. programme that will improve access to “Increasing the capacity of our road Chambers of Commerce, said: “This That is why the national cuts agenda is so worrying the city centre from the A500 and help network and creating an additional is excellent news. The scheme will help for us all. Despite all its successes this city is being hit reduce congestion on busy roads. link to the city centre will help to attract new business investment and harder than virtually any other in the country. It is part of the authority’s 30-year improve journey times for residents jobs, ease traffic congestion, improve Central Government funding is being cut but we have vision to accelerate jobs and growth in and visitors. It will also improve our city centre access and ensure people squeezed ever more value out of every pound of tax Stoke-on-Trent and boost the wider ability to offer alternative routes and have access to employment payers’ cash.While other councils are slashing services North Staffordshire area. cope with disruption.” opportunities.” and raising council taxes, we have managed to hold the The scheme – primarily funded “The development of the Etruria The city council is currently Valley site, which the new road will run planning targeted consultation sessions line for the people of Stoke-on-Trent, keeping most of through the Growth Deal agreed with central government last year – will see through, has the potential to create to provide more information on the those essential services going.We have balanced our thousands of jobs – with further land to project in the early part of the year. budget once again, despite the challenges, and frozen a new link road constructed from the existing Wolstanton junction on the Council Tax for the third year in a row.That’s when two A500. thirds of councils nationally are raising their Council Tax The new road will cross over the this year. West Coast main railway line, then run Our City: you picked our front cover It looks like the national squeeze on our funding is through to Festival Way – providing a going to continue year after year.We have to make new route into the heart of the city. When we’re putting Our City together we like to hear increasingly tough decisions. No one wants to have to The road will also link to Shelton and act upon feedback from Stoke-on-Trent make these choices – least of all someone as committed Boulevard and Newport Lane. residents. to the community as I am. City council Development The front cover of this issue was chosen by local Decision making is tough, but that’s what democracy Programme Manager Mark Collins residents and we’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the is all about. All the services you receive and the rights said the scheme was designed to members of the Southern Community Partnership. you hold dear come through democracy and voting for enhance the A500 and significantly If you have any ideas – just ideas, not the full what you believe in. If you care about the future get out improve access to the city centre. stories – for things we should be featuring in the and vote in May’s elections – both local and national. It He said: “A high quality magazine, please email us at [email protected] really matters – whoever you vote for. transport network is a proven driver of economic growth, so Live webcast of full council meetings Give us your feedback on this issue of MEETINGS of the full council can now be viewed online.To see and hear Web: stoke.gov.uk Our City by emailing Our City is printed on the debates and decisions which affect life in Stoke-on-Trent, visit recycled paper.When Facebook: facebook.com/ [email protected] stoke.gov.uk and click on webcasting. you have finished with stokeontrent.citycouncil this publication please A list of dates and times of council meetings and committee meetings or write to: help the environment Twitter: @SoTCityCouncil by passing it on to a can be found on our website at stoke.gov.uk/meetingdates FREEPOST Our City. friend or recycling it. twitter.com/SoTCityCouncil Our City p3 11/2/15 09:58 Page 1 SPRING 2015 Our City 3 Record start up numbers put city among UK’s fastest expanding economies LATEST available figures rank Stoke-on-Trent recession and austerity – saw the city 1,530 new companies were launched in number of claimants in the city fell twice among the fastest growing economies in the record growth of 23.6 per cent compared the city in 2013 – a record number and an as fast as comparative national and UK with a record number of new business to UK growth of 13.5 per cent. eight per cent increase on the year before. regional figures. start ups and thousands fewer people on the That made it the sixth fastest growing in A total of 2,728 fewer people claimed Latest statistics show 3,541 people dole. the UK. In terms of GVA per capita, the city Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) last year, a claiming JSA in the city compared to 6,270 Gross Value Added (GVA) data for 2009 grew 21.4 per cent – making it the fourth fall of 42.1 per cent. (in December 2013) – that is just 1.9 per to 2013 – arguably the height of the fastest growing per capita in the country. Over the last three months of 2014 the cent of the population. Chocolatier enjoys the Backing business sweet taste of business success HEF turned master Ken said: “I started off making where we also now have a chocolatier Ken the chocolates for the wedding showroom and retail outlet. Master CHarrison’s fast growing boxes my wife was selling at the “The support we’ve had chocolatier Ken family business is settling into time and it grew from there. Now from the city council has Harrison monitors we get through 65 tons of liquid been brilliant. the chocolate drying new premises and looking chocolate a year making half a “They’ve always backed racks at Daniel’s forward to increased production million bars of chocolate, as well as us and we’re hoping for thanks to a £58,000 Regional sweets like truffles and lollies.We more in the future. Delights’ new Growth Fund grant from the were bursting at the seams so we’ve “It’s down to us to find new premises in city council.