State of the Region Part 3: Resilient Contents Foreword Introduction 03 Connected, Competitive Resilient are for us the importance of ensuring using and recycling local resources and Population 04 the three key pillars of the 2019 Industrial that development offers potential for re-distributing their benefits at a ‘whole and Economic Plan for the Cardiff Capital clean growth, environmentally friendly place’ level. Achieving this is not easy but Wealth and Deprivation 12 Region (CCR) and have been the subject construction, energy efficient utility other things we are doing across the CCR Health and Well-Being 18 matter for our initial series of three “state provision and reduced congestion. to help achieve this include; Environment, Culture 24 of the region” reports. In Connected, and Heritage we read about the need to re-balance We also have a significant ageing — Experimenting with new challenge the regional economy through initiatives population with an average of 20% of funds and the concept of greater public such as Metro in order to impact not the City Region’s population at 65 years service innovation and how we might just economic outcomes – but quality or older. This means that the CCR will better engage and collaborate to solve of life too. The projected job losses as need to embrace the challenges of an some of the big economic and societal a result of the proposed Ford Bridgend ageing population and all that will need problems of the day. closure and the recent announcements to mean for best in class care provision, — Moving toward a much more in Newport on the cessation of steel- overcoming mobility and social issues, proactive approach to engaging in the making at the ORB works have brought and not least addressing endemic development of our priority sectors and into sharp focus the fact that fragility and loneliness. Like the corporate community, key industries of the future and ensuring disruption is increasingly a constant. In the foundational economy and public that they can be anchored right across Competitive, we referenced the fact that sector will also need to; embrace models the region through development of a high growth competitive economy alone of efficiency, preserve service quality, supply chains, maximisation of supplier will not deliver the inclusive benefits increase the amount society is willing and effects and local skills and training. and widespread prosperity we desire. able to pay for much needed services in Our ambition is to move beyond simply However, whilst being fundamental to order to ensure the CCR is a competitive, identifying vulnerabilities and absorbing our ambition, it is important to recognise attractive place to live. the impact of shocks to being proactive that being connected and competitive about creating the systemic and are simply means to an end – and that On a very positive note, the overall trend structural conditions to enable these that end is unequivocally economic in personal wellbeing across the CCR key sectors to thrive. sustainability and resilient communities. is good with over 80% saying they have Accordingly, this third and final report high or very high levels of satisfaction The ability to adapt is essential and of this initial state of the region series, with their lives. However, we know we is the only way we will achieve our shines a spotlight on our current levels have pockets where these scores would ambitions for sustainable growth, resilient of resilience and state of readiness for not be representative. Our ambition for communities and quality living standards adaptation and change. the CCR is to have a resilient wellbeing for the whole region. strategy that assists ALL citizens, hence Unlike most other City regions in the we will look to focus in particular on UK we have a significant mix of urban the economically excluded by providing versus rural communities with over 75% training in appropriate employable skills, of the population residing outside of providing fit for purpose education and Cardiff. This will increasingly necessitate supporting social wellbeing in order to significantly improved transport, enable people to adapt to the future of enhanced digital connectivity as well as work and quality of life. new housing across the CCR to link our people to their places of employment and Resilient local economies are those that social engagement. It also emphasises can provide good livelihoods for people, Cerys Furlong Economic Growth Partnership Introduction At the heart of the Cardiff Capital and context-specific – a unique basket some places to adapt considerably to highlighted the vulnerabilities of many Region’s industrial and economic plan is of measures relevant to the region changing demands on public services of the CCR’s towns and businesses to the strategic goal of building a resilient – in recognition of the fact that the in the future. The importance of the flooding, and has re-affirmed the growing regional economy. Resilience is the risks facing each region, as well as its region’s Universities in bringing young importance of appropriate and effective ability to cope with shocks and to adapt vulnerabilities and capacities to cope and people into the region is also evident in warnings in advance of unprecedented to changing circumstances, and in adapt, will undoubtedly be unique. the data here, and in this regard, it will weather events. an increasingly turbulent world it has be interesting to track the impact of the become a critical attribute for a region. This report provides a selection of some CCR’s graduate internship scheme on More positively, the rich natural beauty Measuring the resilience of a regional of the key indicators that will helpful rates of graduate retention in the region of the region’s environment (and its economy is not an easy task, but a for decision-makers in the CCR as they and enhanced employment capacities. hinterland in the form of the Brecon growing body of research has pointed pursue greater resilience. As noted in Beacons National Park) provides a to some of the key elements required to the previous two ‘State of the Region’ There are also a number of insightful wealth of resources and opportunities build resilience assessment in practice. reports, this contribution provides only indicators here which point at differences for tourism, health and recreation, as a brief flavour of the sorts of measures in the economic vulnerabilities of does the region’s breadth of cultural and Firstly, robust resilience assessment that will be required to paint a picture households and communities across historical heritage. The data here also requires a thorough understanding of the region and its resilience. More the CCR. The data shows that the debt points to considerable strength in the of the nature and scale of the risks data is needed on, for example, the burdens borne by households vary CCR’s communities through high reported facing a region, coupled with the adaptability and diversity of the region’s considerably across different places, levels of well-being and quality of life. various sources of vulnerability for its business base over time, alongside for example, which signals significant These indicators certainly provide scope constituent households, communities, more analysis of the resources at the unevenness in the financial buffers that to be optimistic regarding the region’s firms and public authorities. Secondly, disposal of public authorities to support households are able to draw upon if and capacity to forge a strong and distinctive resilience measurement demands a the coping strategies and capacities when their circumstances change. Similar identity, and to cope with the various long-term approach to data gathering of people and places. Whilst the data geographical patterns are evident in the challenges that lie ahead. What is clear and assessment so that an understanding gathered here is therefore somewhat levels of deprivation, wages and in the is that in the current context of change, of the main changes impacting on the partial, it nevertheless provides a number access to free school meals across the more detailed resilience assessment and region from both the inside and out can of valuable insights about the critical region, all of which are suggestive of a analysis will be invaluable. be developed and tracked over time. resilience challenges and opportunities strong relationship between resilience Thirdly, resilience assessment requires which face the CCR. and inequality. In other words, it is the a detailed understanding of the sources less prosperous households and places of strength in a region, notably in terms In particular, the population dynamics in the region that will likely be the of the capacities, assets and resources of the different parts of the CCR least resilient when various shocks and of its people and places to adapt and are clearly very variable, with some changes hit. There are also a number of cope when shocks occur. And finally, communities experiencing a much indicators here relating to the region’s and perhaps most importantly, resilience more rapid growth in the over-65’s than natural and cultural environment. Storm measurement needs to be place-based others, indicating the imperative for Dennis has very recently of course, Professor Gill Bristow Cardiff University Within the Cardiff Capital Region there Percentage change in population (2001-2017) 1 01. have been variable levels of population growth since 2001, with Cardiff rising 18 Population 17.0% and Blaenau Gwent slightly declining by 0.6%. 13.5 While Cardiff remains the largest authority in the Cardiff Capital Region, unlike most other city regions in the UK 9 a number of other authorities make up a large portion of the population, including Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly, Newport, 4.5 and Bridgend. 0 Distinctive for its countryside, the city region has a mix of heavily urbanised and rural areas, with Monmouthshire having a -4.5 particularly rural population.