The Centre for Cities’ report on the economic health of 64 British cities was published this week, and sparked interest in Gloucester which was ranked lowest for jobs growth. Over the last decade, Gloucester had the highest contraction in jobs with over 8,000 fewer jobs than a decade ago.
This is obviously disappointing as it paints a bleak picture of the labour market here – the reaction of our Conservative member of parliament was one of denial. However, I cannot help but feel as a city Gloucester has so much potential and so much to offer business – it deserves better.
With the beautiful cathedral and historic docks, not to mention a fantastic rugby club (and the World Cup round the corner), we have got to get the message out to business that Gloucester is a great place for people to live and work.
The challenge we face though is not just a case of helping businesses to create jobs, it is also about ensuring they are the right kind of jobs. What that means in practice is that we want to companies who are willing to offer their workers secure, well-paid, full-time jobs, rather than the precarious low-waged zero-hours contracts which have become a hallmark of this Tory-led government. It is awful to see the rise in people struggling in work to make ends meet when their hours are unpredictable and their weekly wage unreliable.
Last week, Labour’s shadow minister for infrastructure Andrew Adonis and I met with local business leaders in Gloucester to discuss exactly some of the issues thrown up by this report. We know that long-term funding and strategic planning are key to regenerating Gloucester, and improving infrastructure and employment opportunities. We heard that red tape and difficulties in getting loans are also holding back business growth.
Labour is committed to investing in infrastructure and devolving more power to local enterprise partnerships for economic development – who better understand the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises. Strategy needs to be long term, and that is something Gloucester has been short of recently. In fact our member of parliament stood down from his parliamentary private secretary role last autumn claiming he was doing so to ‘focus on regeneration of the city’. With only months to go to the general election, he either did it for presentational reasons or he has no idea how important long-term planning is to making positive change. I would guess both are true. So, instead of Whitehall setting local authorities’ annual budgets, a Labour government will provide longer-term funding settlements so councils can plan ahead and reinvest savings.
On a personal level, I will fight tooth and nail to brings jobs to Gloucester, support existing businesses here, and reverse the disappointing trends in employment that we have seen over the last few years. We cannot sustain success in the city on the backs of low pay and growing job insecurity. I want a better future for Gloucester and Labour wants that too.
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Sophy Gardner is parliamentary candidate for Gloucester. She tweets @SophyGardner
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