It includes a new index of performance indicators which combine different measures of employment, population and skills.
The report shows that, based on their employment, population growth and skills, England’s top five performing cities are:
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Reading
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Bristol
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Southampton
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Cambridge
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York
It also shows that, based on their employment, population growth and skills, England’s bottom five performing cities are:
- Newcastle
- Sunderland
- Birmingham
- Middlesbrough
- Liverpool
The report presents evidence that unemployment and disadvantage in England is primarily an urban phenomenon but shows that it is distributed unevenly.
The report shows that Milton Keynes has experienced the greatest growth in employment over the last decade with a 36 per cent increase in jobs. But it also shows that Burnley’s growth in employment has been just 0.9 per cent, while Leicester’s employment has actually declined. (Note that the report also shows Portsmouth as having high growth in employment but with decline in population)
Two-track cities: the challenge of sustaining growth and building opportunity, by Glenn Athey, Paula Lucci and Chris Webber is available to download on the Institute for Public Policy Research website (link below).
The data in the report is sourced from the 14-page State of the English Cities Database 2007.
High performers and low performers amongst England’s largest 56 cities and towns across a range of indicators – values and ranking for performance
