Developing the Newcastle Inclusive Economy Strategy

Steer-ED, in collaboration with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) and Connected Voice, have been commissioned to work with Newcastle City Council (NCC) to develop an Inclusive Economic Strategy for the City. This will define what an inclusive economy means for Newcastle and lay the foundations for sustainable, inclusive growth, taking account of the following:

• Strategic economic priorities: assessing the key strengths and weaknesses in growth and foundational economy sectors and locations, and positioning of the City in the wider regional & national landscape.
• Socio-economic challenges: in light of the climate and cost-of-living crises, the impact of and recovery from COVID-19, identifying and understanding current inequalities (i.e. in economic prosperity & health), including spatial & demographic-specific challenges.

Newcastle residents are at the heart of this work, with the strategy being developed in partnership with NCC and its communities. The team will conduct a literature review and socio-economic baseline assessment and engage extensively with stakeholders over the coming months. Alongside the Strategy, a measurement framework will be developed to provide a tool to monitor progress against key outcomes.