Wakefield Council has set out a roadmap to attract business investment, create skilled jobs and develop the skills needed to support the district’s future economy, with ambitions to become a leading destination for businesses in the north of England
A general view of Wakefield(Image: Getty Images)
Wakefield Council has unveiled an ambitious new economic growth strategy which seeks to establish the district as “the best place to do business in the north of England.” The local authority’s leadership has outlined a roadmap to draw in investment, generate employment and assist residents in acquiring the skills required to underpin Wakefield’s future economy.
Over 130 business leaders and residents gathered at an event at Wakefield Exchange (WX) to hear Karl Johnson, leader of the Reform UK-led council, present proposals to deliver more high-quality employment for local residents and prospects for enterprises.
He said: “For too long we have had a lack of ambition and not capitalised on the amazing strengths that our district has. It’s time to change that – it ends today.
“We are setting out an aspirational Wakefield as the best place to do business in the north of England. I want the message to go out today that Wakefield is open for business.”
The strategy outlines priorities for fostering growth and investment, with an emphasis on advanced manufacturing, logistics, and creative sectors. It has been formulated drawing on recommendations supplied by the Wakefield Futures Commission, which was established under the previous Labour administration in December 2024 following figures which showed the proportion of district residents holding qualifications above A-level standard falls considerably short of the national average.
Wakefield is England’s largest city lacking a university and confronts “significant challenges in developing and retaining higher-level skills among its residents”, according to a report published last year.
Central to the commission’s recommendations was the establishment of an employer-led civic hub, to be known as the Wakefield Futures Centre. The proposed new centre would direct skills investment towards the district’s fastest-growing business sectors.
Unlike many traditional university courses, higher-level skills training would be co-designed alongside employers. The training would also be concise, cost-effective and adaptable to accommodate learners’ needs, making it more straightforward for people to enhance their prospects through new qualifications and better-paid employment. The commission estimates that bridging Wakefield’s productivity gap could unlock more than £533m a year for people within the local economy.
Coun Johnson added: “We face an economic challenge on quite a few fronts. Wakefield doesn’t attract national and international investment at the moment and we also face a productivity challenge.
“We need 12,000 more people working in knowledge-intensive business to bring us in line with the wider West Yorkshire region. These jobs need highly skilled employees to create value and drive growth, and they will play a crucial role in driving innovation that will turbo charge our local economy.”
Tony Reeves, the council’s chief executive, said: “Wakefield is full of great businesses and we are brilliantly located. There are all sort of opportunities here but, if we were really honest with ourselves, we haven’t joined those things up sufficiently to really optimise the potential that the district has.
“If I had to sum up in a sentence what this plan is about, it’s about being bold, it’s about being ambitious and being prepared to take some risks to unlock the full potential of our district.”
Professor Sir Chris Husbands, who chaired the commission, said “Wakefield has real assets, real ambition among residents, and a track record of weathering de-industrialisation better than many similar places. To close the gap between skills supply and the future economy, something new is needed.
“That’s why we recommended the Wakefield Futures Centre – a broker between employers and training providers. Working with employers to stimulate demand for higher-level skills and with training providers to change the skills supply.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login