Economic development strategy

There are a number of strategies and organisations that we are aligned to, which helps to strengthen opportunities to secure resources for the borough.

A growth deal for Newcastle-under-Lyme (a growing borough that is an attractive and welcoming place for all)

In partnership with Staffordshire County Council, we will deliver the growth deal, which focuses on the following key priorities for delivering economic regeneration benefits to the communities of our borough:

• Newcastle town centre

• Kidsgrove town centre

• Keele University growth corridor

• Knutton

• enhanced two-tier working

• right houses in the right places

• employment and skills

The New Keele Deal and Keele Deal Culture

We are one of five partners signed up to a plan for investment in innovation-led growth called 'The New Keele Deal', which is a plan for £70,000,000 of investment by Keele University, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP, that sets out eight development priorities over the next five years:

• Keele Research and Innovation Support Programme (KRISP)

• Mercia Centre for Innovation Leadership (MCIL)

• Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND)

• NHS-University-Industry collaboration

• harnessing global reach and visibility for local economic impact

• a strategic site of The Constellation Partnership

• higher level educational provision

• a spatial masterplan for the university campus and local area

Most recently we, along with other partners, have signed up to the Keele Deal Culture which recognises that we can make a real difference to our area through arts, culture and creativity. The deal sets out shared ambitions to realise the full potential of the university's cultural resources and assets for the benefit of the local area. The deal mirrors the Keele cultural strategy mission to make a difference through arts, culture and creativity.

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SSLEP)

The SSLEP Strategic Economic Plan focuses on five main objectives – City, Connected County, Competitive Urban Centres, Sector Growth and Skilled Workforce. This is informed by an evidence base recently gathered which focuses on:

• infrastructure and place

• site and premises

• skills

• innovation

• business intelligence

• growth

The SSLEP is currently working on the development of the local industrial strategy, whose main themes are:

• ideas

• people

• infrastructure

• business environment and place

Our strategy is aligned to these themes. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Simon Tagg, sits on the SSLEP's executive board helping to drive the partnership forward.

The Constellation Partnership

We are one of seven local authorities along with two Local Enterprise Partnerships, which form The Constellation Partnership. The partners share a single vision - a single economic footprint creating a coherent investment market boosted by the international investment magnet of high speed rail connectivity.

The Midlands Engine

The Midlands Engine is focusing on five priority areas:

• to improve connectivity

• strengthen skills

• support enterprise and innovation

• promote the Midlands

• enhance quality of life

It plans to create 300,000 new jobs and £34billion worth of growth over the next 15 years to 2030.

UK industrial strategy

The UK industrial strategy focuses on 10 pillars:

• investing in science

• research and innovation

• developing skills

• upgrading infrastructure

• supporting businesses to start and grow

• improving procurement

• encouraging trade and investment

• delivering clean energy and clean growth

• cultivating world-leading sectors

• driving growth across the whole country

• creating the right institutions to bring together sectors and places