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Bradford needs a new strategy for economic growth say local people
New Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) research released yesterday reveals local fears about the impact of cuts on Bradford and the demand for new strategies for economic growth and employment, particularly for young people. The report also highlights that poverty and stresses between different communities are still major concerns, with people feeling let down by local and national leaders.
The four reports, published today, offer a comprehensive view on what has happened in the city, how local people feel and how Bradford has fared during the economic downturn.
People felt that one reason Bradford appeared not to have been too badly hit by the most recent recession was that it had yet to recover from previous downturns. There were fears that public spending reductions will have a much more damaging impact on the city because of the cuts facing frontline services, at a time when they are most needed. Rising unemployment and the potential increase in tensions between neighbourhoods and specific groups were also a cause of worry.
Cautious optimism from business about the future is not shared by those seeking work. With economic growth seen as crucial to Bradford’s future, concerns are mounting about youth unemployment, and the failure to attract and retain investment, jobs and skills. Other key findings are that:
- People across the city felt let down by their leadership – both locally and nationally.
- National policies about counter-terrorism and community cohesion were highlighted as having been damaging at the local level.
- Although public services were highly valued, they were criticised for being poorly co-ordinated.
- The focus on Bradford’s Muslim communities and ethnic make-up since the 2001 riots was unhelpful, distracting from issues of poverty, inequality and lack of access to jobs, housing and services.
JRF Bradford programme manager Bana Gora said:
Bradford needs new strategies to bring work and economic growth to the city, especially for young people. We need to see confident, assertive local leadership which sets out a bold and positive vision for Bradford and the people who live here. This must include emphasising ethnic and social diversity of the city as a strength in a global and changing society and economy.
Report author Nick Johnson said: "The enduring poverty of Bradford needs to be tackled. Informed and progressive decisions about where restricted resources should be targeted need to be made. This means having rigorous assessments of the impact on equality and deprivation of public spending reductions, and using these to guide decisions.
"We need transparent debate over who gets what, and what citizens accept as fair. There are places, generations and groups with different needs where we have seen significant improvements in cohesion since 2001. These could potentially be undermined by competition for resources – be they real or perceived."
The research is part of JRF's Bradford programme, our ten-year commitment to improving life in Bradford's communities.
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