City populations with training and knowledge ‘will lead recovery’

The Work Foundation has released a report in which it warns of the dangers that a split economic recovery could occur in the UK with some cities being left behind.

At the Work Foundation and OECD LEED Programme Thriving in Recovery conference yesterday, the body’s document entitled No City Left Behind? indicated that populations with considerable training – and high employment in "knowledge intensive industries" will prosper.

However, it is thought that another factor for aspiring cities will be how reliant they are on public sector jobs to keep their economies moving in the right direction.

Based on this, it is thought that parts of the south-east are likely to be the most prosperous in the coming years.

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Lead author Neil Lee believes that the recovery might bypass some cities altogether due to fewer skills.

"Government action is now needed to ensure that no city is left behind by the recovery," he said.

Yesterday, the Northern Echo observed that the north-east would be harder hit than anywhere else in the country by spending cuts, as it relies far more on public sector for employment.

By Hayley Edwards