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Business bosses slam think-tank's findings
Business bosses across Sunderland were today quick to condemn the Policy Exchange report.
City businessman Mick Thurlbeck is chairman of the North East Chamber of Commerce Sunderland committee.
He said: "This report is yet another recent example of statistics being rehashed in a poor attempt to prove a research topic for a political gain whilst conveniently ignoring current facts.
"The proposal that regeneration budgets for urban areas should be reallocated to the South and its suburbs really irritates me – even one of the authors suggests people may think it barmy.
"The report goes on to suggest that when this re-allocation is complete and London, Oxford and Cambridge are revitalised, then we can all benefit from migration to these areas.
"Excuse me for being a bit sceptical on this topic, however. I – along with many business leaders in the region – believe we can manage our own destiny.
"Could it be there is a danger that the rapid development of IT skills and industry in our city is seen as a threat to the southern fat cats whose cream may be drying up? Bless them. Is that something we should feel guilty of?"
Regional development agency One NorthEast also rubbished the think tank's recommendations.
"Some of the conclusions of this report are, as its authors admit, barmy," said chairman Margaret Fay.
"They demonstrate a clear lack of understanding of the North East and Sunderland in particular, its value to the regional economy and the pride of its people in their city."
She added: "Sunderland has actually experienced the strongest economic growth per head of all North East regional local authorities since 2000.
"It has firmly established itself in recent years as a leading business services centre, with business parks such as Doxford Park now the home to many leading national and international firms and car giant Nissan continuing to go from strength to strength at its Sunderland plant.
"The city has been consistently voted as one of the most IT connected cities in the world and is a key part of the North East's regional image campaign with its notable landmarks and attractions such as Penshaw Monument, the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens and National Glass Centre.
"Sunderland has a renowned university and a new symbol of the massive regeneration that has transformed the city – the new 20million Aquatic Centre."
The booming Nissan plant at Washington is seen as one of the greatest business success stories in the history of Sunderland.
The plant opened in 1986 and has gone from strength to strength as it filled some of the employment void left behind by the decline of coal mining and shipbuilding in Wearside.
But for the authors of Cities Unlimited, it is yet another example of how the city has been left behind when it comes to providing high-skilled jobs.
The report recognises that the plant now employs 5,000 workers and that it has also brought other businesses with it.
There are 240 companies that supply Nissan in the area, with 12,000 people employed in the automotive sector.
But it says despite this – and the 2billion invested in the plant – Sunderland remains poor.
The authors say Nissan's higher-skilled jobs are not based in Sunderland, with the design studios based in Paddington, technical labs in Cranfield and the accounts department in Budapest.
But bosses at the car plant could not disagree more.
Danny Griffiths, personnel director at Nissan, said: "Nissan's Sunderland plant has a history of attracting and retaining a high-calibre workforce and this is evident in the plant's continuing success.
"But like every major international company, a reorganisation of staff is sometimes needed to improve efficiency.
"There are a variety of jobs roles based at the plant ranging from specialist Quality Assurance Engineers to Production Operators, as well as around 1,300 'white collar' employees, many of whom not only support functions at the plant but also other Nissan operations worldwide.
"Within the plant opportunities exist for career advancement and there are many examples of individuals who have joined as manufacturing staff and have gone on to positions at both director and vice-president level here at the plant and within Nissan.
Report says poor transport links leave city isolated
The past decade has seen Wearside take a massive leap forward when it comes to transport links to other towns and cities within the region and beyond.
First the Metro came to Sunderland, then the city's first direct rail link to London in 40 years.
But the report says that despite the efforts made by transport bosses, Sunderland remains in Newcastle's shadow because it is poorly served by road, rail and air links.
"The city is isolated," it says. "Although Sunderland is a larger city, Newcastle is better connected. Newcastle has the M1/A1, the mainline rail route, and the airport.
"Tyne and Wear Metro is also much more extensive in Newcastle than in Sunderland, and although the Metro connects Sunderland directly to the airport, it takes an hour to cover 16 miles."
The report also criticises Grand Central's direct rail service into London, pointing out that Newcastle has more than three times the number of trains per day than Sunderland, and those services it does have are much slower.
It states: "It is slower to take the direct train to Sunderland than to take the train to Newcastle, walk to the metro stop, and take the Metro to Sunderland.
"By that time the Newcastle train will have reached Scotland. In terms of connectivity to London, Sunderland is not so much south of Newcastle, as north of Berwick.
"But in terms of reaching Edinburgh, Sunderland is as far south as Darlington."
"Everyone employed at the plant plays a vital part in the success of the company both regionally and globally."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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