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GMB Southern calls on govt to add local dimension to new industrial strategy

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GMB Southern region responded to the publication earlier last week of the new Government industrial strategy.

GMB Southern region has published figures for all parts of the region which show the different levels of economic activity by the working age population across the region.

In Epsom and Ewell 90% of the population aged 16 to 64 are economically active. This is the highest in the region. The next 5 are Rushmoor with 88.9%, Mole Valley with 88.5%, West Oxfordshire with 87.8%, South Oxfordshire and Spelthorne both with 87.3%.

By contrast the lowest are Hasting with only 69.8% of the 16 to 64 year olds who are economically active, Gravesham with 71.3%, Canterbury with 72.4, Guildford with 73% and Rother with 73.1%.

The South East economic activity rate is 80.6% and the overall UK figure is 77.7%. The South East is the second highest in the UK behind the South West at 80.8%.

The table below has the figures for all 67 districts and unitary authorities in the region. See notes to editors for sources and definitions.

Annual Population Survey – Oct 2015-Sep 2016  
    Economic activity rate – aged 16-64  
    number %
  United Kingdom 31,839,800 77.7
  South East 4,458,400 80.6
rank      
1 Epsom and Ewell 42,400 90
2 Rushmoor 56,300 88.9
3 Mole Valley 45,000 88.5
4 West Oxfordshire 57,000 87.8
5 South Oxfordshire 71,400 87.3
6 Spelthorne 53,100 87.3
7 Tandridge 47,000 86.8
8 Eastleigh 71,000 86.7
9 Reigate and Banstead 76,800 86.6
10 West Berkshire 82,100 85.6
11 Crawley 61,000 85.6
12 Bracknell Forest 65,800 85.4
13 Basingstoke and Deane 93,900 85.1
14 Gosport 45,100 85
15 Fareham 59,200 84.9
16 Wycombe 93,800 84.7
17 Woking 50,700 84.3
18 Dartford 58,100 84.2
19 Windsor and Maidenhead 74,900 83.4
20 Waverley 59,700 83.4
21 Chichester 52,900 83.2
22 Chiltern 45,600 82.7
23 Hart 46,500 82.7
24 New Forest 83,500 82.7
25 Worthing 53,000 82.4
26 Tonbridge and Malling 63,400 82.1
27 Maidstone 83,700 81.8
28 Vale of White Horse 61,400 81.8
29 Lewes 47,200 81.7
30 Oxford 93,100 81.7
31 Mid Sussex 72,900 81.6
32 Ashford 59,700 81.4
33 Tunbridge Wells 56,900 81.3
34 Horsham 64,100 81.3
35 Aylesbury Vale 95,800 81.1
36 Runnymede 45,200 81.1
37 Shepway 51,200 80.8
38 Swale 69,700 80.7
39 East Hampshire 56,800 80.5
40 Reading 88,300 80.2
41 Wokingham 78,900 80
42 Test Valley 57,500 79.7
43 Surrey Heath 43,500 79.7
44 Brighton and Hove 157,800 79.5
45 Cherwell 72,700 79.4
46 Medway 139,500 79.3
47 Sevenoaks 56,100 79.3
48 Winchester 58,200 79.2
49 Wealden 70,400 79
50 Adur 31,400 78.9
51 Isle of Wight 60,300 78.8
52 Havant 57,000 78
53 Milton Keynes 130,700 77.1
54 Southampton 130,600 77.1
55 Slough 73,700 76.7
56 Portsmouth 105,800 75.9
57 Eastbourne 44,100 75.7
58 Thanet 62,100 75.7
59 Arun 65,800 75.5
60 Elmbridge 58,400 75.3
61 Dover 51,300 74.6
62 South Bucks 29,600 74.1
63 Rother 37,700 73.1
64 Guildford 70,500 73
65 Canterbury 72,600 72.4
66 Gravesham 47,500 71.3
67 Hastings 39,600 69.8

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern region secretary, said

“GMB Southern region welcome the recognition by the Government that it, on behalf of the citizens, has a role to play in supporting and promoting an industrial strategy to lift economic growth and prosperity in every part of the region.

As the table above shows there are parts of the region where the levels of economic activity by the work age population is way below the levels in the most prosperous parts of the region. This lower level of economic activity is linked to the relative decline in the economies of these areas.

GMB Southern region is ready to work with all the players across the region to input into Government plans to develop viable industrial strategies for each area.

We need local authorities and elected political figures to take initiatives to bring together employers, unions and educational bodies to feed into this process.

It is essential that Government recognises that there has to be regional and geographical dimensions to any successful industrial strategy. GMB consider this to be essential to bringing the economies of all parts of the region up to the level of the most prosperous parts.”

Contact: Paul Maloney on 07801 343839 or Michelle Gordon on 07866 369259

 

Notes to editors

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Press Release on ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’: beisgovuk.citizenspace.com/strategy/industrial-strategy/?utm_campaign=gov&utm_source=gov.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=homepage

We want to build an industrial strategy that addresses long-term challenges to the UK economy. Our aim is to improve living standards and economic growth by increasing productivity and driving growth across the whole country.

This green paper sets out our vision for a modern industrial strategy and some early actions we have committed to take. It aims to start a genuinely open and collaborative conversation about the skills, research, infrastructure and the other things we need to get right to drive long term growth in productivity.

The green paper sets out how we propose to build our industrial strategy. It is not intended to be the last word, but to start a consultation.

We hope anyone with an interest will respond. We welcome your comments as part of a broad discussion on the approach and ideas we have set out, in order to make the industrial strategy effective in delivering an economy that works for everyone.

2) Source: Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics. Annual Population Survey is residence based and a continuous household survey covering the UK.

The data is for the economic activity rate of those aged 16-64. Economically Active people are those either in employment or unemployed.

The APS is the source recommended for employment-related statistics, such as estimates of the number of people in employment or unemployed.