Did another company take on their site @ Rainton Bridge after the Rock had to pull out ?

I read last year, that npower had bought the Northern Rock building and were to relocate from their Newcastle offices to Rainton Bridge ---and they are to make Rainton their Regional Head office.

Ridicuolous Northern Rock ploughing £10 mill into sponsorship of NUFC when you think of the job loses and shares controversry there.

I think it'll be important for Northern Rock to maintain the functions and workings of a normal bank if it is to appear attractive to investors when the time comes to sell it again. They have clearly assumed that Newcastle will be back in the Premier League to fork out that kind of funding.

On the topic of the vacant building at Rainton Bridge, is there any news of when npower will be starting to move in? I hear Newcastle Council bought the new Rock building in Gosforth, but not sure if this is the case.

On the topic of the vacant building at Rainton Bridge, is there any news of when npower will be starting to move in? I hear Newcastle Council bought the new Rock building in Gosforth, but not sure if this is the case.

This is indeed true. They bought the tower and have let it to eaga.

On the topic of the vacant building at Rainton Bridge, is there any news of when npower will be starting to move in? I hear Newcastle Council bought the new Rock building in Gosforth, but not sure if this is the case.

Haven't heard or read anymore on this one, ---like you said, --npower were supposed to be moving in.

Good to see local government flexing its (very limited) powers as and when appropriate for the benefit of the greater good.

Have they let the whole building to eage or just part?

On the Echo billboard but I have no further details.

Microsoft's £10m jobs boost for Sunderland
04 February 2010 by Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo.


A multimillion pound cash injection is set to revive Wearside's beleaguered jobs market thanks to software giant Microsoft.

Bill Gates's international company is handing over £10million to provide IT training to improve skills of thousands across the city.

The boost comes after Sunderland City Council won first prize in the Microsoft Britain Works Challenge.

And it is a welcome relief, coming just a week after Shop Direct announced plans to shut its Hendon call centre, with the loss of 900 jobs.

Councils competing for the £10million had to show how they were making the best use of technology to tackle unemployment and boost digital skills in their community.

Coun Dave Allan, the senior councillor in charge of resources in Sunderland, said: "We are delighted to be named the winner of Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge, which we believe is testament to the hard work going on across the city to use technology to improve people's lives and life opportunities.

"We will use the training vouchers to get more people back into work, by working with our partners to make the accredited training and qualifications available to as many people in Sunderland as possible."

The £10million win builds on Sunderland's track-record of IT success.
The city was found to be the best-connected city in the UK in 2008, boasting the highest percentage of households with broadband connections.

In 2007 the council won £2million after coming first in the Government's "Digital Challenge" to use technology to tackle social exclusion.

Work to realise its plans to help a range of people, including older folks and those in need of regular health and social care, is already underway.

The council is also part of Sunderland Software City, a regional scheme to encourage the North East's IT industry and make the area an attractive location for software businesses.

Bernie Callaghan, chief executive of Sunderland Software City, said: "Winning this challenge is extremely significant for the city, and will really help us to cement our reputation as a hub for IT and software."

Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge is part of a campaign to use digital technology to help 500,000 people into work over the next three years.

The challenge is supported by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace).

Wearside's bid was put together by the council working with the Sunderland Partnership, Sunderland Software City, Sunderland University, City of Sunderland College, Unison, Job Linkage and Job Centre Plus.

The winning entries were chosen by a panel of industry and local government judges who chose the best ideas, with the training vouchers awarded to ensure that the suggested projects would be delivered.

Helen Gilroy, Microsoft UK's Head of Local and Regional Government said:
"This campaign is about ensuring local people have the right skills and training to get them back into work.

"Sunderland was a clear winner for us because its comprehensive understanding of its local employment challenges and has a very clear and strategic plan to tackle these issues."

The training vouchers can be used with public, private or voluntary organisations.

The training can be taken at existing centres or even by people at home using their own computers.

On the Echo billboard but I have no further details.


Heres the article from the Echo, ----will be excellent if it helps people gain employment.


Microsoft's £10m jobs boost for Sunderland

Published Date:
04 February 2010
By Ross Robertson
A multimillion pound cash injection is set to revive Wearside's beleaguered jobs market thanks to software giant Microsoft.
Bill Gates's international company is handing over £10million to provide IT training to improve skills of thousands across the city.

The boost comes after Sunderland City Council won first prize in the Microsoft Britain Works Challenge.

And it is a welcome relief, coming just a week after Shop Direct announced plans to shut its Hendon call centre, with the loss of 900 jobs.

Councils competing for the £10million had to show how they were making the best use of technology to tackle unemployment and boost digital skills in their community.


Coun Dave Allan, the senior councillor in charge of resources in Sunderland, said: "We are delighted to be named the winner of Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge, which we believe is testament to the hard work going on across the city to use technology to improve people's lives and life opportunities.

"We will use the training vouchers to get more people back into work, by working with our partners to make the accredited training and qualifications available to as many people in Sunderland as possible."

The £10million win builds on Sunderland's track-record of IT success.
The city was found to be the best-connected city in the UK in 2008, boasting the highest percentage of households with broadband connections.

In 2007 the council won £2million after coming first in the Government's "Digital Challenge" to use technology to tackle social exclusion.

Work to realise its plans to help a range of people, including older folks and those in need of regular health and social care, is already underway.

The council is also part of Sunderland Software City, a regional scheme to encourage the North East's IT industry and make the area an attractive location for software businesses.

Bernie Callaghan, chief executive of Sunderland Software City, said: "Winning this challenge is extremely significant for the city, and will really help us to cement our reputation as a hub for IT and software."

Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge is part of a campaign to use digital technology to help 500,000 people into work over the next three years.

The challenge is supported by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace).

Wearside's bid was put together by the council working with the Sunderland Partnership, Sunderland Software City, Sunderland University, City of Sunderland College, Unison, Job Linkage and Job Centre Plus.

The winning entries were chosen by a panel of industry and local government judges who chose the best ideas, with the training vouchers awarded to ensure that the suggested projects would be delivered.

Helen Gilroy, Microsoft UK's Head of Local and Regional Government said:
"This campaign is about ensuring local people have the right skills and training to get them back into work.

"Sunderland was a clear winner for us because its comprehensive understanding of its local employment challenges and has a very clear and strategic plan to tackle these issues."

The training vouchers can be used with public, private or voluntary organisations.

The training can be taken at existing centres or even by people at home using their own computers.


Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 04 February

Heres the article from the Echo, ----will be excellent if it helps people gain employment.


Microsoft's £10m jobs boost for Sunderland

Published Date:
04 February 2010
By Ross Robertson
A multimillion pound cash injection is set to revive Wearside's beleaguered jobs market thanks to software giant Microsoft.
Bill Gates's international company is handing over £10million to provide IT training to improve skills of thousands across the city.

The boost comes after Sunderland City Council won first prize in the Microsoft Britain Works Challenge.

And it is a welcome relief, coming just a week after Shop Direct announced plans to shut its Hendon call centre, with the loss of 900 jobs.

Councils competing for the £10million had to show how they were making the best use of technology to tackle unemployment and boost digital skills in their community.


Coun Dave Allan, the senior councillor in charge of resources in Sunderland, said: "We are delighted to be named the winner of Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge, which we believe is testament to the hard work going on across the city to use technology to improve people's lives and life opportunities.

"We will use the training vouchers to get more people back into work, by working with our partners to make the accredited training and qualifications available to as many people in Sunderland as possible."

The £10million win builds on Sunderland's track-record of IT success.
The city was found to be the best-connected city in the UK in 2008, boasting the highest percentage of households with broadband connections.

In 2007 the council won £2million after coming first in the Government's "Digital Challenge" to use technology to tackle social exclusion.

Work to realise its plans to help a range of people, including older folks and those in need of regular health and social care, is already underway.

The council is also part of Sunderland Software City, a regional scheme to encourage the North East's IT industry and make the area an attractive location for software businesses.

Bernie Callaghan, chief executive of Sunderland Software City, said: "Winning this challenge is extremely significant for the city, and will really help us to cement our reputation as a hub for IT and software."

Microsoft's Britain Works Challenge is part of a campaign to use digital technology to help 500,000 people into work over the next three years.

The challenge is supported by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace).

Wearside's bid was put together by the council working with the Sunderland Partnership, Sunderland Software City, Sunderland University, City of Sunderland College, Unison, Job Linkage and Job Centre Plus.

The winning entries were chosen by a panel of industry and local government judges who chose the best ideas, with the training vouchers awarded to ensure that the suggested projects would be delivered.

Helen Gilroy, Microsoft UK's Head of Local and Regional Government said:
"This campaign is about ensuring local people have the right skills and training to get them back into work.

"Sunderland was a clear winner for us because its comprehensive understanding of its local employment challenges and has a very clear and strategic plan to tackle these issues."

The training vouchers can be used with public, private or voluntary organisations.

The training can be taken at existing centres or even by people at home using their own computers.


Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 04 February


Got to be good news for the city.

Isn't training for I.T. fairly common now, most councils if not offer courses on the subject, and so do colleges etc, seems to me like it's Microsoft doing an advertisement at the same time as gaining a contract to provide Sunderland with new machines for the council and also for the training centre's over a number of years.

There's a difference between IT Training and showing people how to use Microsoft products. I'm always weary of schemes like this, they tend to provide little real IT skills but instead lock people and organisations into Microsoft products.

It's also why Microsoft invest heavily in schools and other education. IT in schools is basically how to use Microsoft Office... that's not the way to create an innovative and creative IT industry.

Perhaps the most important factor determining the development and regeneration of the Sunderland area is the local economic situation, and the success the city has on securing good, sustainable and high value employment opportunities for local people and to attract new people to the area.

We need to look towards replacing low-value jobs such as those lost at Littlewoods with higher skilled, knowledge-based and green economy jobs. The announcement that Sunderland will be the national focus of the push towards low carbon cars, and recent pronouncements on green energy, are positive steps towards this.

Discussion about local economic affairs, including new jobs and company expansions, can take place in this thread.

I'll kick off with the news from Nissan that 1,000 jobs are to be secured with the production of the new Juke model. Thanks in part to the vital government assistance for the car scrappage scheme and various other grants to secure work at the Washington factory, Nissan are currently hiring again after a few years of uncertainty.

From tonight's Echo:

Here it is – the car that is set to secure thousands of Wearside jobs.
The Juke – the next model to roll off the production line at Nissan's Sunderland plant – was unveiled to the world at a glamorous European ceremony.

Hundreds of journalists crowded into a military test centre near Paris to see former Wearside factory boss Colin Dodge – now a senior Nissan executive in Japan – reveal the car that will replace the Micra at Sunderland.

He said: "We have invested 60million euros in this vehicle and safeguarded almost 1,000 jobs at the plant in Sunderland and, we believe, about 2,000 in our supply chain in Europe.

"It is great news for Nissan and it is great news for the European car industry."

Amid pounding music and flashing lights, massive doors parted to reveal the new Juke.

"Juke means a lot to me personally," said Mr Dodge.

"It was conceived while I was still working at the Nissan factory in Sunderland and I have followed its development very closely since I moved to Japan three years ago.

"Juke is one of these cars that really stands out for me. It embodies the creativity, talent and dedication of the people who work in Nissan."

Nissan bosses are targeting young urban professionals with their new compact car and hope the UK-developed Juke will repeat the success of its big brother, the Qashqai.

In a massive display of confidence, they have announced it will be on sale across Japan, Asia and North America, as well as Europe.

Cars for the European market will be built on Wearside, with those for the rest of the world coming from the firm's plant in Oppama, Japan.
Juke continues the "crossover" theme of combining sports vehicles with family cars pioneered by Qashqai.

"In the last five years, particularly with Qashqai, we have grown in a very crowded market," said Mr Dodge.

"I remember when we launched the car, we expected to sell around 100,000 a year. We have sold 500,000 in less than three years.

"This car combines an SUV's attributes with the DNA of a sports car – something striking, fun to drive but still practical for everyday use.

"We believe it physically demonstrates the spirit of Nissan.


About the Juke
- Juke was created at Nissan Design Europe in London, and drew inspiration from sources including rally cars and motorbikes.
- The guide price is between 17,000 and 25,000 euros.
- In Europe, three different engines will be available: one diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units.
- Juke is based on Renault Nissan Alliance B-Platform and has a 2,530mm wheelbase, is 4,135mm long, 1,765mm wide and 1,570mm tall.
- It will be available with the option of four-wheel drive.
- Nissan estimates that a third of Juke owners will be women.

Some pics from the Telegraph:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01575/Nissan-Juke-1_1575959c.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01575/Nissan-Juke-2_1575961c.jpg

I don't get if it's a 4X4 or a hatchback, I guess thats the idea though. It reminds me of the Rav4, but is still far too girly, the good news is that it will be produced in the North East, that along with the new Micra and the Qashqai it is good news on the job front.

This is good news, not only for the Nissan workers, ---also it will guarantee jobs for the many suppliers workforce for five years or so.

This is good news, not only for the Nissan workers, ---also it will guarantee jobs for the many suppliers workforce for five years or so.

Exactly, and thats got to be good news for Wearside.

There's also the new site of Rolls Royce, ---this new facility to be Built in Washington, ---will secure about 800 jobs, ---and maybe create further employment.

Some excellent news for the region, on the back of the green investment announced by Nissan. Made possible by £30m of government funding.

From the Guardian:



Mitsubishi to build £100m UK wind turbine factory


http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Education/Pix/pictures/2009/5/18/1242646730726/Wind-Turbines-at-Royd-Moo-001.jpg
Mitsubishi, a major player in atomic engineering, plans a £100m investment in a UK wind-turbine factory. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian


Moves to create a green manufacturing hub in Britain were given a major boost today when one of the world's leading wind turbine manufacturers unveiled plans to spend £100m building a new factory in the north-east.

The proposal by Japan's Mitsubishi, which will create hundreds of clean-tech jobs, came as Siemens of Germany bought a stake in Marine Current Turbines, a UK-based tidal energy firm.

And a Spanish-owned group, FCC, said it planned to spend another £100m building wind turbines on some of the dozens of waste recycling plants it controlled in Britain through a local subsidiary.

Lord Mandelson said the Mitsubishi investment, coming on top of a similar recent investment by Clipper Windpower of the US, gave the UK a real opportunity to become a world leader in the sector.

"No country makes offshore wind turbines of the size we are talking about today on a commercial scale," he explained. "Twenty years ago, the UK was a leading centre for onshore wind technology, but we failed to capitalise on that by not providing the right climate for growth. We are determined not to let that happen again. We are creating the largest market in the world for offshore wind and we intend to build and support the industry."

Mitsubishi's chief executive, Akio Fukui, said the firm was looking at a number of locations in the north-east. A prototype turbine will be built within three years and the first full-scale production could start after four years.

"We have been working with UK Trade and Investment for some time and we look forward to further growing our offshore wind business with UK-based partner and supply chain businesses from 2010, bringing much needed competition into the offshore wind turbine supply market, and economic benefit to the UK," said Fukui.

The need for this kind of move was underlined by Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica, who said that it could spend up to £7.5bn by 2020 on wind operations, but stressed the economic conditions would have to be favourable. The company, which has won rights to build offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea under the recent third round of licensing, made it clear that the costs of equipment would need to fall.

The British Wind Energy Association said the investments were exciting proof that the rest of the world was taking Britain's renewable energy programme seriously. Chief executive Maria McCaffery said: "This tremendous commitment from Mitsubishi and the UK government follows last week's major announcement of the start of the new Clipper Windpower factory in Newcastle upon Tyne, which will be home to the largest wind turbine blade in the world. This all signals the rebirth of manufacturing in the UK, with an estimated 70,000 green-collar jobs to be created on the back of over £100bn of private sector investment."

Tom Delay, chief executive of the government-backed Carbon Trust, which is also investing in Marine Current Turbines alongside Siemens, said: "The Mitsubishi announcement is a massive vote of confidence in the UK's renewable sector. We are clearly now open for business and, importantly, we are now winning business. The green manufacturing revolution is now becoming a reality."

Meanwhile, FCC plans to spend up to £100m installing up to a total of 80 megawatts of wind turbines at some of the 100 landfill sites it owns through its Waste Recycling Group subsidiary across Britain. FCC already has 533MW of wind capacity installed across Spain, Austria and Britain.

Greenpeace noted that the investment by Mitsubishi was particularly notable because the company was also a pillar of the atomic engineering world. Joss Garman, energy campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said: "If the market wanted a clear signal on which way the UK energy sector is moving, the manufacturer of the world's biggest nuclear reactors has just sent it – and the answer is wind."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/25/mitsubishi-wind-turbine-factory

^^^^


I'm sure I read somewhere, ---that there was hope that Sunderland could become a area to service the offshore wind turbines, ---if true, --this would be good news, and would create more jobs.

Some pics from the Telegraph:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01575/Nissan-Juke-1_1575959c.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01575/Nissan-Juke-2_1575961c.jpg

If you squint you can tell it's still a micra.

From the Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Business-boost-for-Sunderland.6119366.jp):

BUSINESSES of Sunderland – your city needs you. And you need your city.

Council bosses are today introducing a system that will revolutionise the way the authority allocates contracts worth thousands of pounds.

Buy Sunderland First is a new campaign which aims to give Wearside firms a better chance of landing lucrative deals with Sunderland City Council.

Competition rules ban council bosses from favouring city businesses when it comes to handing out contracts – but Buy Sunderland First will help ensure Wearside firms don't miss out on the chance to pitch for work.

At the centre of the campaign is a new website, which will create an electronic directory of local businesses to be used by council officers awarding contracts for goods and services worth up to £75,000.

Coun Bryan Charlton, the council's portfolio holder for prosperous city, said: "In tough economic times, it's even more important to support local businesses as much as we can.

"At Sunderland City Council we're committed to helping the city's economy and see this new system as a major part of this.

"While Buy Sunderland First won't limit our options and will still ensure we get good value for money, it also means we can help council staff to sustain Sunderland firms and procure services in a more beneficial way for the area."

Washington-based UK Commercial Cleaning Ltd is typical of the Wearside businesses set to benefit from Buy Sunderland First.

Boss Tony Earnshaw said: "The Buy Sunderland First Campaign is fantastic.

"Sunderland City Council's commitment to local businesses shows that it understands the importance of the business community to the sustainability of the area.

"I wholeheartedly welcome the campaign's launch –- it makes sense that local businesses should benefit from local council contracts.

"This campaign will open doors and be a breath of fresh air for many business owners who have been struggling as a consequence of the economic downturn.

"I will definitely be signing up to the campaign website and letting people know of the other commercial cleaning services that we provide."

Buy Sunderland First has the backing of the North East Chamber of commerce.

SAFC's Gary Hutchinson is the incoming chairman of the chamber's Sunderland committee.

"Although we have confirmation that the UK is now out of recession, we know that businesses are still working hard to recover from the recent downturn," he said.

"As one of Sunderland's largest organisations, it's fantastic to see the council is backing local companies with this new initiative and we will be encouraging our members to sign up to the Buy Sunderland First system."

From the Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Business-boost-for-Sunderland.6119366.jp):

BUSINESSES of Sunderland – your city needs you. And you need your city.

Council bosses are today introducing a system that will revolutionise the way the authority allocates contracts worth thousands of pounds.

Buy Sunderland First is a new campaign which aims to give Wearside firms a better chance of landing lucrative deals with Sunderland City Council.

Competition rules ban council bosses from favouring city businesses when it comes to handing out contracts – but Buy Sunderland First will help ensure Wearside firms don't miss out on the chance to pitch for work.

At the centre of the campaign is a new website, which will create an electronic directory of local businesses to be used by council officers awarding contracts for goods and services worth up to £75,000.

Coun Bryan Charlton, the council's portfolio holder for prosperous city, said: "In tough economic times, it's even more important to support local businesses as much as we can.

"At Sunderland City Council we're committed to helping the city's economy and see this new system as a major part of this.

"While Buy Sunderland First won't limit our options and will still ensure we get good value for money, it also means we can help council staff to sustain Sunderland firms and procure services in a more beneficial way for the area."

Washington-based UK Commercial Cleaning Ltd is typical of the Wearside businesses set to benefit from Buy Sunderland First.

Boss Tony Earnshaw said: "The Buy Sunderland First Campaign is fantastic.

"Sunderland City Council's commitment to local businesses shows that it understands the importance of the business community to the sustainability of the area.

"I wholeheartedly welcome the campaign's launch –- it makes sense that local businesses should benefit from local council contracts.

"This campaign will open doors and be a breath of fresh air for many business owners who have been struggling as a consequence of the economic downturn.

"I will definitely be signing up to the campaign website and letting people know of the other commercial cleaning services that we provide."

Buy Sunderland First has the backing of the North East Chamber of commerce.

SAFC's Gary Hutchinson is the incoming chairman of the chamber's Sunderland committee.

"Although we have confirmation that the UK is now out of recession, we know that businesses are still working hard to recover from the recent downturn," he said.

"As one of Sunderland's largest organisations, it's fantastic to see the council is backing local companies with this new initiative and we will be encouraging our members to sign up to the Buy Sunderland First system."

Sounds like a good idea to me in theory.

^^^^


Any system that can help businesses to gain contracts has to be welcome, --lets hope more local firms can gain from this, ---which will also help with creating more jobs.

Excellent news from Nissan, ---and great news for Sunderland and the Region, -------this from the Echo, ---




Nissan Sunderland to build electric Leaf
Nissan latest

Published Date: 18 March 2010
Motor giant Nissan is to build its new electric car in Sunderland, it was announced today.
Production of the Nissan Leaf will begin 2013 and forms part of a £420 million investment in electric cars by the Japanese firm.

The manufacturer said the Leaf would be the world's first affordable mass-produced zero emission car and around 50,000 a year will roll off the Sunderland production line.

The investment will be supported by a £20.7 million Government grant and a proposed finance package from the European Investment Bank of up to 220 million euros (£197.3 million).

The announcement was welcomed by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

"This investment is a fantastic vote of confidence in the Sunderland plant and its excellent workforce," he said.

"The automotive sector is of key importance to the UK. It supports R&D, technological innovation, skills and a supply chain that's a mainstay of the wider manufacturing sector.

"Today's news from Nissan, with support from Government, shows that by working together we can achieve our aim of making the UK a world-leader in ultra-low carbon vehicles."

Andy Palmer, senior vice president at Nissan, added: "The world is at the dawn of a new era in automotive transport.

"Nissan LEAF, which will go on sale later this year, is a five-seater hatchback that offers the same space, practicality and performance of a similar car in its class - minus the tailpipe emissions.

"Thanks to the UK's firm commitment to a low carbon future in terms of infrastructure, customer incentives and educational programmes, Nissan Leaf will be built at Sunderland, making the UK the third country in the world to produce this revolutionary car."

Sunderland has been widely seen as the favourite for European production of the Leaf since the announcement last summer that Nissan's electric car battery would be sited next to the present factory.

Nissan has already announced production of the all-electric Leaf hatchback in Japan and the United States, with the car due to go on sale at the end of this year.

The company has not specified how much the car will cost, saying only that it will be competitive with similar-sized cars with conventional engines.

Founded in 1984, Nissan's Sunderland factory employs around 4,000 people and built its five millionth vehicle in June 2008.

>> More follows

Superb news for Nissan and the supply chain in and around Wearside. Personal automotive travel will be all but unrecognisable ten years from now, and Nissan will play a major part in that.

Further good news for Sunderland and the Region,--this from the Echo, ---




Nissan favourite to build trio of new cars


Published Date:
26 March 2010
By Kevin Clark
Nissan's Sunderland plant is a favourite to build up to three more electric vehicles.
And workers have another reason to celebrate, after a syndicate scooped nearly £800,000 on the Lottery.

The company announced last week that it is to build the Leaf – the world's first affordable, fully-electric family car – on Wearside.

Now Nissan's Olivier Paturet – in charge of driving forward the technology in Europe – says the car was just the first in a wave of zero-emission vehicles it was planning.

Leaf will be followed by a mini-van, small city car and a third model, code-named Infiniti (correct).

And Mr Paturet said landing the contract to build Leaf made Sunderland a front-runner in the race to win contracts for the other cars.

Speaking at the North East's first electric vehicle conference, he said: "Most of these vehicles are actually based on the Leaf as a platform.

"Being a home base for the Leaf, they (Sunderland) will definitely be on the list."

It was the North East's determination to become a global centre of excellence for low carbon technology that had helped bring the Leaf to Wearside, said Mr Paturet.

It was vital that motorists knew the infra-structure necessary to use electric cars was in place before they would commit to buying one.

Meanwhile, staff at Nissan's Sunderland plant are also celebrating the news of a big lottery win.

The Echo understands a syndicate in the factory's maintenance department has scooped nearly £800,000.

It is believed the 44 members of the syndicate will each receive just over £18,000 as their share of the £790,000 prize pot.

No-one was available from the winning group to comment.

The news that the factory is a frontrunner in the race to secure more models has been welcomed on Wearside.

Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, whose constituency covers the Nissan plant, said: "The global car industry is on the cusp of a revolution and Nissan is boldly leading the way.

"That leadership, I believe, will give the company a real commercial, competitive and manufacturing advantage for decades to come."

The Green Vehicle Congress is organised by Cenex, the UK's Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies, and has been taking place at the Baltic Centre in Gateshead over the last two days.

Backed by UK Trade and Investment and regional development agency One North East, it is hoped it will be held at a different venue each year and become the sister event to the Cenex national Low Carbon Vehicle Event, held near Milton Keynes.

The congress has attracted international manufacturers and suppliers from as far afield as Australia, China, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia and the USA to meet with UK companies.

One NorthEast chairman Margaret Fay said: "We are delighted to be hosting this prestigious event and welcoming global industry figures to North East England.

"The announcement that the Nissan Leaf will be manufactured at the company's Sunderland plant has helped showcase our region to the world."

I read on the BBC text, that there is a wind Turbine factory to be built on the East Coast or somewhere in the North East, it said there would be 700 jobs created, it would be great if it was built in our area, does anybody know or has more information about this ? thanks.

I read on the BBC text, that there is a wind Turbine factory to be built on the East Coast or somewhere in the North East, it said there would be 700 jobs created, it would be great if it was built in our area, does anybody know or has more information about this ? thanks.


This is probably the news, ---


Wind turbine plant creates 700 jobs
Yesterday, 11:37 am

Hundreds of jobs are to be created under an £80 million investment in a new wind turbine facility, it has been announced.
German manufacturing giant Siemens said it will develop an offshore wind turbine production facility in the UK to meet future demand, creating 700 jobs.

The firm said it was exploring a number of sites on the East Coast and in the North East and was working closely with regional development agencies.

Peter Loscher, president and chief executive of Siemens, said: "With the new wind turbine production plant in the UK we're pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth markets for eco-friendly technology.

"In the foreseeable future the wind power market in the UK will be characterised by major offshore projects, and we'll extend our market leadership with the new production plant."

Andreas Goss, Siemens' chief executive in the UK, said: "The UK Government has created a stable framework to attract inward investment in renewables and offshore wind power in particular.

"The competition for land development, announced in the Budget last week, gives us confidence that the appropriate UK port infrastructure can be made available to support our production plans.

"The new Siemens wind turbine factory will create around 700 new local jobs once it is in production, as well as additional indirect jobs in the supply chain.

"With the anticipated growth in the renewables market, there is potential for expansion of the facility in the future.

"This £80 million investment, plus additional investment in our UK infrastructure for renewables, will provide a much-needed economic boost for the region, as well as driving growth in the UK's innovative wind power industry."

This is probably the news, ---


Wind turbine plant creates 700 jobs
Yesterday, 11:37 am

Hundreds of jobs are to be created under an £80 million investment in a new wind turbine facility, it has been announced.
German manufacturing giant Siemens said it will develop an offshore wind turbine production facility in the UK to meet future demand, creating 700 jobs.

The firm said it was exploring a number of sites on the East Coast and in the North East and was working closely with regional development agencies.

Peter Loscher, president and chief executive of Siemens, said: "With the new wind turbine production plant in the UK we're pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth markets for eco-friendly technology.

"In the foreseeable future the wind power market in the UK will be characterised by major offshore projects, and we'll extend our market leadership with the new production plant."

Andreas Goss, Siemens' chief executive in the UK, said: "The UK Government has created a stable framework to attract inward investment in renewables and offshore wind power in particular.

"The competition for land development, announced in the Budget last week, gives us confidence that the appropriate UK port infrastructure can be made available to support our production plans.

"The new Siemens wind turbine factory will create around 700 new local jobs once it is in production, as well as additional indirect jobs in the supply chain.

"With the anticipated growth in the renewables market, there is potential for expansion of the facility in the future.

"This £80 million investment, plus additional investment in our UK infrastructure for renewables, will provide a much-needed economic boost for the region, as well as driving growth in the UK's innovative wind power industry."

When you hear the words 'port infrastructure', you can't help but think that Hendon Dock would be a perfect site for this.

Im not sure what the land is used for at the moment but it would be perfect for access to the North Sea and the port infrastructure is already there.

Could this be a real opportunity to bring a growing manufacturing sector to Wearside once more? The knock on benefits would be significant also, in the supply chain. Surely Nissan's recent announcement means that the two industries could form links in terms of technology and infrastructure?

Who knows. It seems that this push to create the frameworks and support mechanisms for green technology in Britain is the one thing the current government are doing right. This country (and Wearside) needs to start making things again and stop relying on a broken financial sector, and hopefully this will be a big step in the right direction.

^^^^


I was thinking the same thing about the Port of Sunderland, --and the land around the South Docks / Hendon - Hudson Docks, ---I don't know how much land there is around these areas, ---but from memory, --I think parts of the Docks complex could be an ideal area for the proposed facility, ---lets hope they are in with a shout, ---of course Siemens are also looking at other areas, --so fingers crossed for us.

From the Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Government-millions-to-boost-region.6203856.jp):

Government millions to boost region

Wearside has landed more than £2.5million to boost employment, drive regeneration and improve arts facilities for youngsters.

The Government has has given the cash to Sunderland City Council to help protect frontline services, build the economy and create jobs in the tough financial climate.

Durham County Council has been given £5.4million, to strengthen its broadband network, fund youth work and support vulnerable people at risk from the recession, mental illness or with personal safety concerns.

Sunderland and Durham are among eight councils which earned the extra cash by making improvements and meeting targets over three years.

Sunderland's chief executive, Dave Smith, said: "Sunderland City Council is delighted by the announcement that it is to receive a performance reward grant of over £2.5million to continue its ongoing work to protect frontline services and strengthen the local economy.

"The award of the grant is testament to the hard work of the council and its partners in making progress with a variety of key improvements in the city.

"These have included continued reductions in crime levels, the provision of new housing across the city and, most recently, improvements in the numbers of young people in the city who are progressing with further education, employment and training."

Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton said: "As local leaders, councils know their areas and its unique challenges best and with continued Government support they can meet local priorities that matter most to their residents."

Sunderland Tory leader Coun Lee Martin welcomed the funding but suggested the announcement – which comes in the run-up to the General Election – was aimed at winning support for the Government as well as helping Wearside.

Councillor Martin is hoping to become the city's first Tory MP in 50 years by beating Labour's Julie Elliott and Lib Dem Paul Dixon in the new marginal Sunderland Central seat.

Excellent news here about a company that I understand was very close to closure not so long ago, and a genuine Sunderland icon to boot. Proves how essential government support is for private enterprise during this recession. From the Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Villa-Pop-gets-fizz-back.6212327.jp):


Villa Pop gets fizz back

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SEJJ//TH1_84201057villapop.jpg

Malcolm Slatcher has put the fizz back into Villa pop. He took over one of Sunderland's best-known names in January last year after the firm had gone into administration.

Now Villa is to create 17 new jobs, after buying new machinery and introducing new products with backing from a £1million loan arrangement with Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.

The deal with Lloyds includes bad debt protection to help ensure Villa does not run into trouble again.

"This is an exciting time for us as we have a number of new products to launch and contracts to fulfil," said Malcolm.

"This requires a strong cash flow so we looked for a comprehensive funding package which would provide the capital needed to service the increased demand.

"And with debtor protection in place, we have a safeguard against bad debt, which gives us peace of mind as we continue growing the business."

Villa's expansion has resulted in it recently securing a contract with a major national supermarket chain to supply its new range of Crystal juices, a "one of your five-a-day" fruit drink.

Andrew Bentley, of Lloyds TSB, said: "Malcolm has pursued a clear strategy to ensure that Villa Drinks has prospered in the downturn and benefited the local economy by creating valuable new jobs.

"I look forward to working with the company and providing funding and guidance as it continues to grow."

Sunderland Council has supported Villa Drinks over the years and was able to help with the firm's latest expansion.

Its head of business investment, Janet Snaith, said: "Villa Drinks is part of Sunderland's heritage and we are pleased to be able to work alongside Lloyds TSB on this expansion project, to continue to support such an iconic local brand."

Excellent news here about a company that I understand was very close to closure not so long ago, and a genuine Sunderland icon to boot. Proves how essential government support is for private enterprise during this recession. From the Echo (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Villa-Pop-gets-fizz-back.6212327.jp):


Villa Pop gets fizz back

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SEJJ//TH1_84201057villapop.jpg

Malcolm Slatcher has put the fizz back into Villa pop. He took over one of Sunderland's best-known names in January last year after the firm had gone into administration.

Now Villa is to create 17 new jobs, after buying new machinery and introducing new products with backing from a £1million loan arrangement with Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.

The deal with Lloyds includes bad debt protection to help ensure Villa does not run into trouble again.

"This is an exciting time for us as we have a number of new products to launch and contracts to fulfil," said Malcolm.

"This requires a strong cash flow so we looked for a comprehensive funding package which would provide the capital needed to service the increased demand.

"And with debtor protection in place, we have a safeguard against bad debt, which gives us peace of mind as we continue growing the business."

Villa's expansion has resulted in it recently securing a contract with a major national supermarket chain to supply its new range of Crystal juices, a "one of your five-a-day" fruit drink.

Andrew Bentley, of Lloyds TSB, said: "Malcolm has pursued a clear strategy to ensure that Villa Drinks has prospered in the downturn and benefited the local economy by creating valuable new jobs.

"I look forward to working with the company and providing funding and guidance as it continues to grow."

Sunderland Council has supported Villa Drinks over the years and was able to help with the firm's latest expansion.

Its head of business investment, Janet Snaith, said: "Villa Drinks is part of Sunderland's heritage and we are pleased to be able to work alongside Lloyds TSB on this expansion project, to continue to support such an iconic local brand."

Excellent news. A small but positive sign that private sector lending is getting down to the medium size businesses.

^^^^

It's always good to see new jobs being created, ---I believe theres also Car part firms doing well lately, ---so maybe more jobs could be created.

This is good for the area, ----from the Echo, --




Wearside can be the 'heartland' of car industry


By KEVIN CLARK"
kevin.clark@northeast-press.co.ukPublished Date: 21 April 2010
WEARSIDE is set to become the centre of the UK's car industry within five years, it has been predicted.


Professor Garel Rhys told Sunderland International Automotive Conference the North East will overtake the West Midlands as the heartland of motor manufacturing.

He said new Government figures would show the industry accounts for 1.5 per cent of ADVERTISEMENTgross domestic products in the region – the same as in the traditional home of UK auto-manufacturing.

But while the industry was continuing to expand and develop in the North East, it was in decline in the Midlands, said the expert.

"We are likely to see that the North East – in the next five years – become the main motor industry region in the UK," said Professor Rhys, a leading automotive economist.

"The North East is becoming more and more the new heartland of the British car industry.

"Who would have thought that 20 years ago when Nissan was first built?
"Over the last 20 years, because of the Nissan investment, the region has become a major centre of vehicle assembly and while it can never match the size of the West Midlands with its many assembly plants, it has done remarkably well as it has come virtually from nowhere in terms of automotive manufacturing."

Welcoming the 140 delegates to the Stadium of Light yesterday, city council chief executive Dave Smith said the automotive sector was thriving in the North East.

"Over the last four months we have seen new employment growth in the city which has bucked the national trend and we could not have done that without the strength of Nissan and the supply chain to support the automotive industry," he added.

l The North East could be set to cash in on a bumper public sector contract for electric vehicles.

Transport for London has put out a £67million tender for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Seventy per cent of money is ringfenced for passenger vehicles of up to eight seats – such as the Leaf electric family car, which Nissan is due to begin building at its Sunderland plant in 2013.

The remaining 30 per cent of the funding will be split between electric scooters and motorbikes, such as those produced by County Durham-based ElecScoot, and larger passenger and goods vehicles of the kind built by Washington's Smith Electric Vehicles.

Deutsche Bahn boss heralds new jobs for Arriva
Apr 23 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal


THE new German owner of North East company Arriva said it will be creating further jobs in the region as it looks to grow the business into a European transport giant.

Deutsche Bahn chief executive, Dr Rüdiger Grube said he was placing his “hopes in Sunderland and its existing management team”.

Mr Grube was speaking shortly after agreeing a £1.59bn deal to take over the Sunderland-based public transport company.

Arriva, which runs bus and rail services in the UK and 12 countries on the Continent, agreed to the 775p a share deal which will make it a wholly-owned subsidiary of German group Deutsche Bahn.

Mr Grube said: “We will keep the Arriva brand and there will be no job reductions. We want to see profitable and sustainable growth and create new jobs.”

He continued: “It would be ridiculous to change the name of Arriva. We want Arriva staff to continue to have the highest degree of identification with their company.

SEE REST OF ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/04/23/deutsche-bahn-boss-heralds-new-jobs-for-arriva-61634-26300325/

^^^^


More jobs is always good news and very welcome, ----it's also good that they are keeping the name, and Headquarters in the City.:)

From today's Sunderland Echo.

Published Date:
28 April 2010
By Kevin Clark
EXCLUSIVE
A major hotel, shopping and leisure development could create more than 800 jobs.
Roseberry Leisure wants to build an £8.5million 120-bedroom hotel, 90,000sq ft supermarket and 3,000-seater arena at the Rainton Bridge Business Park.

The plan would see the Rainton Meadows arena demolished and the supermarket built, with a three or four-star hotel and a new arena on a neighbouring plot.

The firm has been working with Newcastle-based Projekt Architects on plans for the project.

Managing director Michael Roseberry said it was envisaged the scheme would create 810 jobs – 210 during construction and 600 after completion, 338 of them part-time.

It was hoped the development would attract more investment in Rainton Bridge to complement npower's decision to relocate 2,000 staff from its site in Newcastle.

"Potential occupiers may be put off by lack of facilities," said Mr Roseberry. "Shops, food outlets and hotel accommodation are now regarded as essential elements in most business parks."

The firm hopes to submit a formal planning application for the scheme to Sunderland City Council by the summer.

"We are crossing our fingers that the council will view our plans favourably," said Mr Roseberry.

"There have already been preliminary discussions to put us on the right lines as to what would or would not be acceptable proposals.

"Naturally, our priority is that we are a business concern, but we feel the Sunderland area badly needs a modern new hotel of this standard.

"The proposed supermarket can provide a facility which would be appreciated by the people of Fence Houses, Hetton, Houghton, Penshaw, both East and West Rainton and Shiney Row.

"And the North East is in need of a purpose-built, state-of-the-art venue for concerts, conferences and shows which is not so vast that some people who go there get only a distant view."



Page 1 of 1
Last Updated: 28 April 2010 10:22 AM
Source: Sunderland Echo
Location: Sunderland

Sir Tom Cowie bows out at 87
Apr 29 2010 by John Hill, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/apr2010/9/5/sir-tom-cowie-11218831.jpg

OIL and metal giant Trafigura has unveiled a £20m expansion plan as the new owner of Wearside logistics and warehousing business Nems.

Nems owner Sir Tom Cowie, who founded transport giant Arriva, has ended his 14-year association with the Port of Sunderland company following its sale to the giant Swiss company.

Sir Tom was not present at the official handover yesterday, at which the new owners discussed plans to broaden the company’s scope into new markets and new countries.

Nems was set up in 1993 and runs warehouses in Sunderland, Newcastle, Hull, Liverpool, Rotterdam, Baltimore and Gebze in Turkey.

As well as offering logistics services and document storage, it is a London Metal Exchange warehouse company, storing and delivering metals such as aluminium which are used in trades in the City of London market.

The company currently employs 26 staff at the Sunderland site, which has 1.5m square feet of covered space.


REST OF ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/04/29/sir-tom-cowie-bows-out-at-87-51140-26339213/

^^^^


I'm pleased to see the Port doing well, ---it's not that long ago when it was struggling, ---so well done to them, --seems they are going from strength to strength now.:cheers:

900 Hundred jobs gone at --Shop Direct in Sunderland today, -----although they have known for a few months, ---it's still sad to see all these people losing their jobs.

.
Hopefully, this could soon change from being a "Jobs & Economic News" item, to having its own PROJECT THREAD, if/when some firm plans/proposals are submitted!


Plan could see 800 new jobs in Sunderland
May 5 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal


PROPOSALS for a multi-million pound indoor arena, hotel and superstore on the outskirts of Sunderland could create hundreds of jobs.

The company run by former professional cricketer Mike Roseberry has unveiled ambitious plans which could see the existing Rainton Meadows Arena demolished and replaced.

The plan would also see Roseberry Leisure build a hotel on land adjacent to the new arena and a new superstore, just across the road from these two developments, on unoccupied land on the Rainton Bridge Business Park.

Mr Roseberry said that he is currently in discussions with Sunderland City Council and its partner, Australian property developers Goodman, on purchasing the necessary Rainton Bridge Business Park land.

Mr Roseberry, managing director of Roseberry Leisure and a former captain of Durham County Cricket Club, said: “Over the last six months we have seen real interest from developers for the retail aspect of the scheme and this includes some of the UK’s main players.

“The whole development has the potential to create more than 800 jobs for the region.”

Detailed proposals are scheduled to be put before the city council’s planning department in the next few weeks and will include the demolition and rebuild of the Rainton Meadows Arena as a 3,000 seat venue at an estimated cost of £3m.


REST OF ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/05/05/plan-could-see-800-new-jobs-in-sunderland-51140-26377210/

^^^^

I agree, ----this proposed Development has to be good surely? ---I will look forward to this having it's own thread.

.
Hopefully, this could soon change from being a "Jobs & Economic News" item, to having its own PROJECT THREAD, if/when some firm plans/proposals are submitted!


Plan could see 800 new jobs in Sunderland
May 5 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal


PROPOSALS for a multi-million pound indoor arena, hotel and superstore on the outskirts of Sunderland could create hundreds of jobs.

The company run by former professional cricketer Mike Roseberry has unveiled ambitious plans which could see the existing Rainton Meadows Arena demolished and replaced.

The plan would also see Roseberry Leisure build a hotel on land adjacent to the new arena and a new superstore, just across the road from these two developments, on unoccupied land on the Rainton Bridge Business Park.

Mr Roseberry said that he is currently in discussions with Sunderland City Council and its partner, Australian property developers Goodman, on purchasing the necessary Rainton Bridge Business Park land.

Mr Roseberry, managing director of Roseberry Leisure and a former captain of Durham County Cricket Club, said: “Over the last six months we have seen real interest from developers for the retail aspect of the scheme and this includes some of the UK’s main players.

“The whole development has the potential to create more than 800 jobs for the region.”

Detailed proposals are scheduled to be put before the city council’s planning department in the next few weeks and will include the demolition and rebuild of the Rainton Meadows Arena as a 3,000 seat venue at an estimated cost of £3m.


REST OF ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/05/05/plan-could-see-800-new-jobs-in-sunderland-51140-26377210/


I think this could be a great development and would bring many much needed jobs.

On a downside,it looks like Joplings will be closing with the loss of a canny few jobs, and it seems that the proposed hotel wont happen either.

.
Robbs of Hexham and Joplings of Sunderland
to close in 4 weeks time.
BBC Newcastle, 12th May 2010.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47826000/jpg/_47826835_40534091.jpg

Two historic North East Department Stores are to close after their owner went into administration.

Robbs of Hexham and Joplings in Sunderland had been sold to Vergo Retail in 2007 and today administrators MCR said Vergo Retail had now gone into administration

This means that their nine stores across England would close.

It said the stores would shut in four weeks with a loss of 335 jobs in total, although it could not rule out the possibility that they may be sold.

The other stores are in Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Dovercourt and Witham in Essex, Stowmarket, in Suffolk, Plymouth and Norwich.

Sarah Bell, partner at MCR, said: "Following a financial review of the business it was apparent it could not continue to trade in the short term without implementing immediate cost saving measures."

"There is an opportunity for interested parties to come forward and rescue the remaining business as a going concern."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8676127.stm

.
Robbs of Hexham and Joplings of Sunderland
to close in 4 weeks time.
BBC Newcastle, 12th May 2010.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47826000/jpg/_47826835_40534091.jpg

Two historic North East Department Stores are to close after their owner went into administration.

Robbs of Hexham and Joplings in Sunderland had been sold to Vergo Retail in 2007 and today administrators MCR said Vergo Retail had now gone into administration

This means that their nine stores across England would close.

It said the stores would shut in four weeks with a loss of 335 jobs in total, although it could not rule out the possibility that they may be sold.

The other stores are in Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Dovercourt and Witham in Essex, Stowmarket, in Suffolk, Plymouth and Norwich.

Sarah Bell, partner at MCR, said: "Following a financial review of the business it was apparent it could not continue to trade in the short term without implementing immediate cost saving measures."

"There is an opportunity for interested parties to come forward and rescue the remaining business as a going concern."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8676127.stm


Sad news if this is not saved, ---and wonder what will happen with the proposed Hotel Development too.

Another Foreign takeover, -----but lets hope they stick to their word about keeping the jobs, ---this from the Echo, --



Sunderland's Arriva firm makes job pledge


Arriva was started by Sir Tom Cowie.

Published Date: 19 May 2010
Transport jobs at a Wearside firm should be safe despite its imminent sale to a German firm.

Arriva, which employs about 150 people at its headquarters on Sunderland's Doxford International business park, could be in foreign hands as early as the middle of August.

The board of the Wearside-based transport giant announced last month it had accepted a takeover offer from Germany's Deutsche Bahn, which operates the Tyne and Wear Metro system.

The scheme will have to be ratified by two meetings, to be held at Durham's Ramside Hall Hotel on June 17.

A third hearing will be held on August 17, subject to which, trading in Arriva shares will be suspended at 6pm on August 18, and the firm will be formally delisted from the Stock Exchange at 8am on August 20.

All the August dates are provisional.

Arriva, which started life as Cowie's, has vowed to stay faithful to its Wearside roots despite changing hands.

Arriva chief executive David Martin promised the move would mean "absolutely no change whatsoever" for Arriva's presence on Wearside.

Deutsche Bahn chief executive Dr Rudiger Grube added: "There will be no job reductions. The contrary is true – our aim is to create profitable, sustainable growth."

This from todays Echo, -----



North east braced for £6bn Government cuts


Published Date: 24 May 2010
Workers in the public sector were bracing themselves for bad news today as the Government prepared to announce £6billion in spending cuts.
Regional development agency One North East (One), set up to bring jobs and new business to the region, was feared to be in the firing line.

Budgets for IT, property, advertising and recruitment were also expected to be cut, and some quangos – public sector agencies not directly controlled by the Government – could be axed.

The coalition Government said last week it would save regional development agencies (RDAs) such as One in "areas where they are popular" after councils and businesses called for the region to keep a single agency to boost industry and create jobs.

Supporters of One have heaped praise on the agency for its role in bringing new industries to the North East, including helping to bring electric car production to Nissan.

Staff at the agency have reportedly been warned to expect bad news, and former North East Minister Nick Brown has criticised Government plans for spending cuts, which are designed to reduce the country's budget deficit.

He said: "There is simply no slack in the North East RDA budget.

"Any reduction would have a big impact on service delivery."

"The development agency is essential to our region's plans to bounce back from the economic downturn. This is not the time for budget cuts."

Chancellor George Osborne played down the prospect of "swingeing job cuts" ahead of his announcement today, and said most of "the jobs impact" would be met by a civil service recruitment freeze.

Ministers have admitted that cuts will be "painful" and "unpopular" but are vital to pay down the record deficit, likely to be £156 billion this year.

This from todays Echo, -----



North east braced for £6bn Government cuts


Published Date: 24 May 2010
Workers in the public sector were bracing themselves for bad news today as the Government prepared to announce £6billion in spending cuts.
Regional development agency One North East (One), set up to bring jobs and new business to the region, was feared to be in the firing line.

Budgets for IT, property, advertising and recruitment were also expected to be cut, and some quangos – public sector agencies not directly controlled by the Government – could be axed.

The coalition Government said last week it would save regional development agencies (RDAs) such as One in "areas where they are popular" after councils and businesses called for the region to keep a single agency to boost industry and create jobs.

Supporters of One have heaped praise on the agency for its role in bringing new industries to the North East, including helping to bring electric car production to Nissan.

Staff at the agency have reportedly been warned to expect bad news, and former North East Minister Nick Brown has criticised Government plans for spending cuts, which are designed to reduce the country's budget deficit.

He said: "There is simply no slack in the North East RDA budget.

"Any reduction would have a big impact on service delivery."

"The development agency is essential to our region's plans to bounce back from the economic downturn. This is not the time for budget cuts."

Chancellor George Osborne played down the prospect of "swingeing job cuts" ahead of his announcement today, and said most of "the jobs impact" would be met by a civil service recruitment freeze.

Ministers have admitted that cuts will be "painful" and "unpopular" but are vital to pay down the record deficit, likely to be £156 billion this year.

I think the short term future of One North East is stable. I think they have proved in recent times to have had a positive impact on the region, especially with the 'green economy'. However, I still think they will have their funding cut quite severely, with knock on effects on some of Sunderland's regeneration schemes, namely Vaux. ONE have a massive role to play in acquiring the site from Tesco and we need their support to do so.

Fingers crossed again for this one.

^^^^

Yeah, ---regarding the Vaux site, ---I thought that the One North East and Sunderland Council were in negotiations with Tescos, ---do you think the pending cuts will scupper this?

Lets hope the funding for Nissan won't be cut, --but there are concerns, ---this from the Echo



Nissan hopes Leaf grant will escape cuts


Published Date: 25 May 2010
Nissan is still confident of securing a multimillion-pound grant to support electric car production, after the Government admitted the cash was under review.
Labour Ministers awarded the £20.7million to underpin the production of Nissan's new low-carbon Leaf car at the Washington plant.

The decision to build the cars and batteries for the vehicles in Wearside represents a total investment of more than £420million in the factory, expected to safeguard about 2,250 jobs at Nissan and across the UK supply chain.

But the new coalition Government has ordered a review of all spending approvals made since January 1 this year, including the Nissan grant.

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) said the Government was looking at all spending on a value-for-money basis and the review by no means meant the cash would be stopped.

A Nissan spokeswoman said: "An agreement was made and signed between BIS and Nissan.

"We believe that the new coalition Government is fully supportive of progressing a greener economy and zero emissions transport is at the heart of this."

But Sunderland MPs fear the review could spell danger for jobs at Nissan.

Washington and Sunderland West MP Sharon Hodgson said: "Under the Labour Government we made great strides towards establishing the North East as a world leading area to produce low-carbon vehicles.

"The Government's grant will play a key part in unlocking potential locally and creating new jobs, as well as securing existing ones.

"I can't believe the Tory–led coalition would be so stupid as to try and withdraw this funding, but local people can rest assured that if they do then I'll be prepared to fight every step of the way."

Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson said she had "deep concerns" about the grant review and how long the process would take. She has called for a time scale to be published.

"The Nissan grant is absolutely crucial to the long-term economy in Sunderland," she said.

Wearside Tory leader Tony Morrissey said the grant to help electric car production was "pretty much guaranteed".

"I'm not one bit worried about that – that is not going to be something that is cut," he said.

* The new Wear bridge was another project feared to be in jeopardy in the city as the Government tightens public spending.

Sunderland City Council leader Paul Watson is concerned the bridge – which depends on £98million from the Department for Transport – could be one of a number of projects to lose its funding.

Gentoo maintains turnover as reservations pick up
May 26 2010 by Chris Knox, The Journal


PROPERTY developer and construction firm Gentoo has maintained its £140m turnover after reporting a pick up in reservations for its new homes.

The firm said it had benefited from the traditional spring revival in the housing market, with the National Association of Estate Agents reporting the biggest jump in sellers since August last year and an increase in the number of potential buyers.

The firm said that rental income remained strong, with £100m of its overall sales achieved in this way, and that it expected to repeat its performance during its last financial year to maintain its turnover by March 2011.

However, the company, which has 1,789 staff, has seen a slow down in the number of people taking advantage of the Right to Buy scheme as a result of the downturn, which has limited its ability to increase turnover.

It also said that activity within its property development arm Gentoo Ventures was on hold as a result of its decision to move away from investing in inner city apartments and focusing on its core housing rental operations during the downturn.

The Sunderland-based not-for-profit firm plans to deliver 443 homes over the next 18 months with help from a £34m investment from the Homes and Communities Agency, provided as part of the Government’s Kick Start funding scheme.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/05/26/gentoo-maintains-turnover-as-reservations-pick-up-51140-26519614/


.

^^^^


Wonder if any of the Governments cuts will be in the Kick start funding scheme ?

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/suppleme...1140-26486624/

Some good news about Villa pop.

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/suppleme...1140-26486624/

Some good news about Villa pop.


Couldn't get the link on marra, ---but I presume it's about more jobs, or expansion plans ?

Couldn't get the link on marra, ---but I presume it's about more jobs, or expansion plans ?

Yes, a further 17 jobs created at Villa.

Yes, a further 17 jobs created at Villa.

Good news, ---every little helps.

Good news, ---every little helps.

Quite, I make sure I get a supply of Villa pop every week.

Quite, I make sure I get a supply of Villa pop every week.


Yeah, -- only 17 jobs, --but it's better than none, ---because I think the job creation will not improve in the next couple of years, --hope I'm wrong like.

It looks like it's the end of an era for Joplings with the loss of a canny number of jobs, ----and, --as Administrators are now talking to a number of potential buyers for Joplings, ----does anyone think that the Hilton Hotel chain will still be interested in putting a Hotel on the top few floors?

David Cameron refused to confirm that the £5k Nissan Leaf grant would still be available under the Con Dem's, this could have a devastating affect on Sunderland/Washington jobs for Nissan.

And so it begins. :ohno:

David Cameron refused to confirm that the £5k Nissan Leaf grant would still be available under the Con Dem's, this could have a devastating affect on Sunderland/Washington jobs for Nissan.

And so it begins. :ohno:



Yes, --you could be right, --and this could happen, hope not, -------but lets hope this Government will recognise the massive impact their anticipated cuts would have on our Region, --and I hope they will be sensible and put measures in place to help protect jobs and families, ---we will see.

Very good news regarding One North East:

Business secretary Vince Cable has announced the appointment of Sunderland-born businessman Paul Callaghan as the new chairman of the North-East's regional development agency.

Callaghan, founder and chairman of the North-East-based technology and communications company Leighton Group, will work alongside current One North-East chair Margaret Fay as chairman designate of from 14 June. He will then become chairman from 16 August.
Callaghan has served on the board of One North-East since 2006 and was appointed deputy chairman in 2009.
Cable said Callaghan's experience would make an "important contribution" to economic development in the North-East.
He added: "The future of RDAs is currently being reviewed but I believe that the North-East of England is one region where business support through a regional agency is both necessary and appreciated."
Callaghan said: "I am delighted to have been asked to be the next chairman of One North-East. We must capitalise on the opportunities for economic growth that exist in sectors such as new and renewable energy, low carbon vehicles and science and technology."
One North-East chief executive Alan Clarke said: "[Callaghan] is a highly respected businessman and entrepreneur - a passionate advocate for business and e-commerce in the region who has worked closely with Margaret both as a board member and more recently as deputy chairman.
"Paul has the experience and the vision to ensure One North-East continues to support businesses out of recession and into better times while making the strategic decisions needed to underpin longer term sustainable regional economic growth."
Outgoing chair Fay also welcomed the appointment.


Great that a Sunderland man is going to be in charge of ONE. Lets hope he has the right influence in terms of making the right decisions for the City of Sunderland.

Also, good news regarding the RDA:

Business secretary Vince Cable has said that regional development agencies (RDAs) in the North of England will "continue in pretty much the way they did before" under the new coalition government.

Speaking this morning on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Cable, who is due to deliver his first major speech as business secretary later today, said that the new Government would "change fundamentally" the nature of the RDAs. "They will be turned into local business partnerships," he said.
But Cable, who yesterday announced a review of business regulation, added: "In the North of England, we've identified some of the vulnerable areas where they will continue in pretty much the way they did before.
"There will be a strong emphasis on the vulnerable parts of the UK, making sure they have relatively more resources."
Speaking yesterday in his first Commons question time as Prime Minister, David Cameron said: "On RDAs, what we have said is that in areas of the country where they work well and where local authorities want to keep them as they are, they can."
But the Prime Minister added: "We believe that in many parts of the country, including the part I represent, there is a huge amount of waste and it would be better to have local enterprise partnerships, with councils coming together to support business.
"Wherever RDAs are, we think there is a large amount of waste within them."
Earlier this week, Regeneration & Renewal reported that RDAs in the South of England are likely to bear the brunt of nearly £300 million of cuts imposed on the quangos by new chancellor George Osborne last week.
As part of the £6.25 billion package of cuts set out by the Treasury, the eight RDAs outside London have been told to save £270 million in the current financial year, by ending "lower value spending".
The cut amounts to nearly 20 per cent of the eight RDAs' combined budget of just over £1.4 billion in 2010/11.

^^^^


Yeah, I agree this is good news marra, ----and lets hope this Government also give the promised funding for the Nissan Electric vehicles, ---and also the new Bridge, ---lets hope so, fingers crossed.

^^^^


Yeah, I agree this is good news marra, ----and lets hope this Government also give the promised funding for the Nissan Electric vehicles, ---and also the new Bridge, ---lets hope so, fingers crossed.

I think this is very good for the Vaux development - as we need ONE's influence to acquire the land, without question.

I think in terms of funding - it will reduce - but the impression I get is that the government will power through with establishing core industries for the North East in carbon-neutral technology, especially electric vehicles. Vince Cable's words seem to suggest that a lot of good work in the North East's renewable energy sector should be followed through to the end with sustained funding where it is needed the most.

Hopefully very good news for Sunderland.

I think this is very good for the Vaux development - as we need ONE's influence to acquire the land, without question.

I think in terms of funding - it will reduce - but the impression I get is that the government will power through with establishing core industries for the North East in carbon-neutral technology, especially electric vehicles. Vince Cable's words seem to suggest that a lot of good work in the North East's renewable energy sector should be followed through to the end with sustained funding where it is needed the most.


I think it would make sense for the Government to fund Nissan, ---and I believe the North East is leading the way in research, ---so lets hope they keep the funding.

I think this is very good for the Vaux development - as we need ONE's influence to acquire the land, without question.

I think in terms of funding - it will reduce - but the impression I get is that the government will power through with establishing core industries for the North East in carbon-neutral technology, especially electric vehicles. Vince Cable's words seem to suggest that a lot of good work in the North East's renewable energy sector should be followed through to the end with sustained funding where it is needed the most.

I know Paul Callaghan pretty well and he's always been very pro Sunderland so heres hoping.

I know Paul Callaghan pretty well and he's always been very pro Sunderland so heres hoping.


Lets hope he will do a good job, --and help the Region, --good luck to him.

Forge your own future the North East is told
Jun 7 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


LEADING spending and policy experts will today urge the North East to stand on its own two feet as they spell out the risk to the region’s economy from Government policies.

A detailed look at the policies of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition uncovered worries that rising unemployment, an end to job creation schemes and a cut in cash for elderly care are just some of the problems likely to hit Tyneside, Northumberland and Durham in the next three years.

The region’s dedicated think tank, ippr north, has said the North East must use the spending cuts as a chance to rebalance the economy away from a reliance on Government jobs.

The North East will be told it needs to forge its own economic future, “not beg the new Government for mercy”, if it is to emerge from the economic crisis in a stronger position.

It comes on the same day that Centre for Cities, the United Kingdom’s leading regeneration think tank, sends a “wake up call” to cities which have become too dependant on the public sector for jobs.

Bosses there have argued that cities and towns such as Middlesbrough should follow Newcastle’s lead and do more to diversify the economy and not wait for further Government jobs schemes.


FULL ARTICLE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/06/07/forge-your-own-future-the-north-east-is-told-61634-26601525/

Forge your own future the North East is told
Jun 7 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


LEADING spending and policy experts will today urge the North East to stand on its own two feet as they spell out the risk to the region’s economy from Government policies.

A detailed look at the policies of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition uncovered worries that rising unemployment, an end to job creation schemes and a cut in cash for elderly care are just some of the problems likely to hit Tyneside, Northumberland and Durham in the next three years.

The region’s dedicated think tank, ippr north, has said the North East must use the spending cuts as a chance to rebalance the economy away from a reliance on Government jobs.

The North East will be told it needs to forge its own economic future, “not beg the new Government for mercy”, if it is to emerge from the economic crisis in a stronger position.

It comes on the same day that Centre for Cities, the United Kingdom’s leading regeneration think tank, sends a “wake up call” to cities which have become too dependant on the public sector for jobs.

Bosses there have argued that cities and towns such as Middlesbrough should follow Newcastle’s lead and do more to diversify the economy and not wait for further Government jobs schemes.


FULL ARTICLE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/06/07/forge-your-own-future-the-north-east-is-told-61634-26601525/

This is exactly right.

In the 1980s, the employment of the region was hit so hard because it depended on government subsidised industries which were unsustainable.

We have a situation now where the industries of the North East are completely different, but we have the same situation where so many jobs are supported by government funding, one way or another.

We need to create a critical mass of private sector jobs in local enterprises.

I think what Sunderland is currently doing is very good. Forging links between local enterprise and the University to cultivate home grown businesses and to then attract larger private sector businesses which thrive on that bed of infrastructure and activity.

^^^^

Yeah it would be great to see the private and public sectors pulling together to create more jobs and a stronger economy, ----but I would also hope that One North East will be kept in place for a few years, --as this Agency can still help to bring investment and more jobs, ----I know it's " easier said than done", ---because it's going to be a tough few years ahead.

^^^^

Yeah it would be great to see the private and public sectors pulling together to create more jobs and a stronger economy, ----but I would also hope that One North East will be kept in place for a few years, --as this Agency can still help to bring investment and more jobs, ----I know it's " easier said than done", ---because it's going to be a tough few years ahead.

Yeah, we really need to cut the umbilical cord from Whitehall and become an independent force in Research and Development of low-carbon technologies, research into sciences, IT and software, manufacturing.

You know, I think the ConDems are correct in their approach so far: keep the RDA to get the North East standing on its own two feet so that it is self-sustaining in the future. I just hope they don't pull too many resources out of the North East economy too soon to stunt this growth.

Yeah, we really need to cut the umbilical cord from Whitehall and become an independent force in Research and Development of low-carbon technologies, research into sciences, IT and software, manufacturing.

You know, I think the ConDems are correct in their approach so far: keep the RDA to get the North East standing on its own two feet so that it is self-sustaining in the future. I just hope they don't pull too many resources out of the North East economy too soon to stunt this growth.


Yes I agree, ---projects like the Software City, --can be a big help in creating new Businesses and thus creating jobs which has to be good, ---but as said, --I think it is a must that One North East will still be in place for a few years yet.

Business Link facing the axe in programme of cuts
Jun 8 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


DAVID Cameron’s claim to be building up the number of private businesses in the North East was undermined last night as it emerged an agency responsible for creating 5,000 jobs a year is for the chop.

The £20m-a-year regional Business Link set up to help small businesses from Northumberland to Teesside is likely to go as part of a nationwide programme of cuts.

The blow comes as council insiders claim more than £50m will be wiped off the North East economy even before emergency budget cuts are revealed later this month.

Cuts in police budgets, arts grants and health spending and cuts to council budgets have all trickled out since the Government announced £6bn worth of immediate cuts last month.

Last night a spokesman for Business and Enterprise North East, which runs Business Link in the region, said the agency was still awaiting news on its future.


FULL ARTICLE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/06/08/business-link-facing-the-axe-in-programme-of-cuts-61634-26607817/

^^^^



If this organisation is scrapped, ------then theres talk of about 700 jobs that will be lost at the Seaham based Business Link, ----I fear this will just be the start of job losses in the North East.

It is very worrying indeed.

Cameron has said that we will ALL be affected by these cuts, possibly for decades to come.

I think we will be.

I, personally, do not think cutting Business Links is a particularly good idea though.

It is very worrying indeed.

Cameron has said that we will ALL be affected by these cuts, possibly for decades to come.

I think we will be.

I, personally, do not think cutting Business Links is a particularly good idea though.


Yeah I agree, --it's a very gloomy road ahead ----and as for cutting the Business Links which have helped to create thousands of jobs, ---well, --it just seems counter productive to me

More bad news on the job front, --this from the Echo, --



Northern Rock to cut 650 jobs

Published Date: 08 June 2010
Northern Rock is to axe up to 650 jobs before the end of the year.
The bank announced today it is to cut more than 10 per cent of its workforce as part of preparations for a return to the private sector.

The lender would look to avoid compulsory job losses where possible but chief executive Gary Hoffman said it was "important that we continue to deliver value for taxpayers".

He added: "There is still a challenging economic environment and, in order to meet our objectives, we must align our staffing level to match the smaller size of the business, increase efficiency and reduce our cost base."

More follows

^^
Confirmed, more detail, but still nothing on how many jobs will be cut where . .

Northern Rock plans 650 job cuts
Jun 9 2010 by Adrian Pearson and John Hill, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/jun2009/1/3/northern-rock-618643439.jpg

NORTHERN Rock has revealed plans to axe 650 staff as it is prepared to be sold off to the private sector.

The state-owned bank plans to shed 14% of its 4,500 workforce at all levels by the end of the year at its offices in Newcastle and Sunderland.

A public and private sector response team was quickly launched yesterday to find new work for the staff who will be made redundant.

But unions and politicians in the region have hit out at the cuts and said workers in the North East should not be sacrificed to help the Government get a quick sale. Last night, there were also growing fears that another high street lender was preparing to reveal major job losses today.

Last night, Rock chief executive Gary Hoffman said the bank now handled a fifth of the mortgage business it enjoyed at its peak, and argued the cuts were necessary to “align our staffing level to match the smaller size of the business”.

He said: “We remain in public ownership and it is important that we continue to deliver value for taxpayers.” But Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah, in whose constituency the bank has its HQ, last night said she wanted to make sure the bank was “well positioned for future growth”.

She said: “The most important thing now it make sure these jobs are not going either as a result of a political need to speed up the return or from the bank anticipating such a request. “It would be terrible to think these jobs are going as a result of political pressure to hurry up and get the bank off the Government’s books.”


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/06/09/northern-rock-plans-650-job-cuts-51140-26617190/

^^^^



Theres talk of hundreds to go at the call Centres, --this from the Echo, --



Fears for hundreds of Wear jobs


Published Date:
09 June 2010
By Kevin Clark
Hundreds of Wearside call centre jobs are under threat today after Northern Rock announced plans to axe more than a tenth of its staff.
The nationalised bank – which employs 800 people on Doxford International business park – has announced that it is to cut up to 650 of its 4,500-strong workforce by the end of the year.

The cost-cutting move is the latest phase of plans to return the bank to the private sector.

It is too early to say what the move will mean for the Doxford operation.

Northern Rock has started a 90-day consultation period with the Unite union and other employee representatives on the cuts, which will affect jobs at all grades, and has pledged to do everything it can to avoid compulsory redundancies.

The firm also announced it is to close its final salary pension scheme.

Chief executive Gary Hoffman said: "We remain in public ownership and it is important that we continue to deliver value for taxpayers.

"There is still a challenging economic environment and in order to meet our objectives, we must align our staffing level to match the smaller size of the business, increase efficiency and reduce our cost base.

"Regrettably, this will involve a reduction of up to 650 jobs. We have entered a formal consultation period with Unite, and other employee representatives, during which we will discuss how we can achieve that.

"This is an unsettling time for our employees and we will keep them well informed throughout the process.

"We will avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible and offer a voluntary redundancy scheme. We will work with local agencies, including One NorthEast, to provide as much support as we can to those affected."

Unite national officer Rob MacGregor pledged to fight the plans, which he described as "devastating".

He said: "Since 2008 Northern Rock has reduced its employees by over 2,000, yet staff are being told today that the business has not restructured sufficiently to be cost-effective. There are now serious questions about how change, in this important North East-based financial institution, is being managed.

"It is now essential there is political intervention to prevent this business being dramatically scaled back and prepared for sale.

"The scale of these job losses and pensions changes will be painful process for every one of the 4,500 staff at the bank. Unite will be doing everything we can to save the jobs and future of Northern Rock."

Regional development agency One NorthEast will spearhead a response group of employment and training experts to help up to 650 Northern Rock staff at risk of redundancy.

Director of Business and Industry Ian Williams said: "This announcement is a blow to the workforce and the response group stands ready to support staff as soon as required in consultation with Northern Rock and trade union representatives.

"The company is determined to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible and will implement a voluntary redundancy scheme.

"Where that is not possible, the response group will offer a comprehensive package of support for affected workers, to give them the best possible chance of finding new employment or accessing new opportunities.

"The financial services sector is an area of strength for the North East and there will be demand for the skills of redundant Northern Rock employees in the region."

Heres a bit good news for a change, --this from the Echo, --




Cameron confirms Nissan's £20million grant is safe
Breaking news

Published Date:
09 June 2010
By Kevin Clark
Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed the £20million to support electric car production at Nissan is safe.
Mr Cameron made the announcement after Wearside MP Bridget Phillipson pressed him on the issue for a second week running at Prime Minister's Questions.

The cash is seen as vital to safeguarding thousands of jobs and bringing industries of the future to Sunderland.

It had, however, been subject to a review by the new Government. Ms Phillipson said she was "delighted" with the news the grant is now confirmed.

And well done to Bridget Phillipson MP for lobbying on this important issue. Without drawing it to such scrutiny in two successive PMQs it's more likely that the grant will have been quietly scrapped.

And well done to Bridget Phillipson MP for lobbying on this important issue. Without drawing it to such scrutiny in two successive PMQs it's more likely that the grant will have been quietly scrapped.

Agreed. Good first move by BP.

I would like to see the MP for Sunderland Central showing the same desire and determination in Parliament for key developments in the City Centre.

Agreed. Good first move by BP.

I would like to see the MP for Sunderland Central showing the same desire and determination in Parliament for key developments in the City Centre.


I agree, ---and would hope all the Sunderland MPs will lobby for the major Developments for the City, ----they can only try.

One Northeast - to be axed
says Vince Cable
Jun 17 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/sep2009/0/7/vince-cable-848083885.jpg

BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable has confirmed regional development agency One North East will be abolished.

It follows a written plea from businesses and councils within the region to set up a replacement body to give the North East a strong voice in Whitehall.

Creating a so-called region-wide Local Enterprise Partnership was a key promise to the region in the Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition document.

The Journal has been told there has been a written indication from the Business Department that there will be a successor body to One North East.

By any standards, Labour MPs say, the development agency in its current form has been a success. It has created or protected some 160,000 jobs and played a vital role, alongside Sunderland Council, in encouraging Nissan to bring electric car production to Wearside.

Last night former regional minister Nick Brown said shaking up the successful system was “the single worst thing the Liberal Democrats could have done to hurt the North East economy”.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/06/17/one-north-east-to-be-axed-says-vince-cable-61634-26668668/

One Northeast - to be axed
says Vince Cable
Jun 17 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/sep2009/0/7/vince-cable-848083885.jpg

BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable has confirmed regional development agency One North East will be abolished.

It follows a written plea from businesses and councils within the region to set up a replacement body to give the North East a strong voice in Whitehall.

Creating a so-called region-wide Local Enterprise Partnership was a key promise to the region in the Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition document.

The Journal has been told there has been a written indication from the Business Department that there will be a successor body to One North East.

By any standards, Labour MPs say, the development agency in its current form has been a success. It has created or protected some 160,000 jobs and played a vital role, alongside Sunderland Council, in encouraging Nissan to bring electric car production to Wearside.

Last night former regional minister Nick Brown said shaking up the successful system was “the single worst thing the Liberal Democrats could have done to hurt the North East economy”.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/06/17/one-north-east-to-be-axed-says-vince-cable-61634-26668668/

Seems a crazy decision when well respected Sunderland man Paul Callaghan had just been appointed to lead One North East.

We can only hope the Government will listen, ---this from the Echo, --



Business leaders' fears over job cuts


Published Date: 18 June 2010
The coalition Government must apply a "North East jobs test" before making any further spending cuts, business leaders have urged.
The North East Chamber of Commerce fears cuts to the region's large public sector could mean fewer contracts for private sector employers.

They want the risk to be considered via the "employment recovery test" before next week's Budget.

Local authorities in the North East are predicting cuts of more than £800million to capital spending over the next three years, potentially affecting 17,000 jobs in the construction sector alone.

Chamber chief executive James Ramsbotham said: "It's no secret that the public sector plays a larger role in the North East economy than it does in other regions.

"We have been working hard to grow the private sector to redress that imbalance, but it isn't going to happen overnight.

"Public spending cuts must be carefully assessed to avoid a knock-on impact on businesses that supply the public sector. The region is relying on companies to create jobs."

Axe falls for over 60 staff at Stanley factory
Jun 24 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal


MORE than 60 jobs are being axed with the mothballing of a North East trailer factory run by a German firm, which had already cut 175 North East jobs in the last two years.

However, Schmitz Cargobull has revealed that 68 workers will stay on at its operation in Harelaw, in Stanley, County Durham.

Manufacturing will cease next month, with 66 production staff made redundant – leading to the firm’s UK customers to be supplied from its plants on the Continent.

But the 68 sales, after sales, marketing and administrative staff, who are mainly in County Durham but also at sales centres across the UK, will be kept on. Two years ago, before the global economic slump, the business employed 300 workers.

Dave Telford, regional officer at Unite, said: “We are very disappointed. It has been a tough couple of years for the company with a shortage of orders.

“But it’s a bitter pill to swallow and we will be working with staff during the redundancy notice period to see what we can salvage from this.”

Schmitz acquired the site, which manufacturers curtain-sided and refrigerated trailers, in 1991, and counts some of the UK’s biggest retailers amongst its customers.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/06/24/axe-falls-for-over-60-staff-at-stanley-factory-51140-26713749/

^^^^


It's always sad to see people losing there lively hood, and it affects so many more too, ----but unfortunately, ---with the state of the economy, --plus the massive cuts promised by the Government, ----I'm afraid there will be many more job losses reported on this thread in the coming months and years.

A hundred jobs retained and potentially two hundred more coming to Nissan with the announcement of a new engine-making facility, which will produce sixty thousand per year.

A hundred jobs retained and potentially two hundred more coming to Nissan with the announcement of a new engine-making facility, which will produce sixty thousand per year.


It's always good to hear of jobs being created, ---especially in these times.

Doesn't sound good for jobs, ---this from todays Echo, ---




Fears growing over Nissan cash



Published Date: 01 July 2010
Concern was growing today over the future of a Government green-car subsidy expected to play a crucial role in safeguarding jobs at Nissan.
Business secretary Vince Cable has warned motor manufacturers that there would be "no cash handouts," and he would not "go around the country waving an empty cheque book".

The previous Government had committed to subsidising the buyers of electr
ic cars for a quarter of the purchase price, up to a maximum of £5,000.

But in a setback to Washington's Nissan plant, it is understood the subsidy – expected to be introduced next year to boost the production of electric cars – could be axed.

The Nissan Leaf would cost £28,350, although the price was set on the assumption electric car buyers would be eligible for the £5,000 Government incentive. If the subsidy is cut, it is feared the UK car industry would fall behind other European countries which have confirmed they will offer the incentive.

Bridget Phillipson, Labour MP for Sunderland Central, criticised the proposed move.

She said: "This current Government clearly does not value jobs in the North East or the region's economy."

A Nissan spokesman said: "We are confident that the new coalition Government will continue to support manufacturing which is a vital sector for the UK."

Doesn't sound good for jobs, ---this from todays Echo, ---




Fears growing over Nissan cash



Published Date: 01 July 2010
Concern was growing today over the future of a Government green-car subsidy expected to play a crucial role in safeguarding jobs at Nissan.
Business secretary Vince Cable has warned motor manufacturers that there would be "no cash handouts," and he would not "go around the country waving an empty cheque book".

The previous Government had committed to subsidising the buyers of electr
ic cars for a quarter of the purchase price, up to a maximum of £5,000.

But in a setback to Washington's Nissan plant, it is understood the subsidy – expected to be introduced next year to boost the production of electric cars – could be axed.

The Nissan Leaf would cost £28,350, although the price was set on the assumption electric car buyers would be eligible for the £5,000 Government incentive. If the subsidy is cut, it is feared the UK car industry would fall behind other European countries which have confirmed they will offer the incentive.

Bridget Phillipson, Labour MP for Sunderland Central, criticised the proposed move.

She said: "This current Government clearly does not value jobs in the North East or the region's economy."

A Nissan spokesman said: "We are confident that the new coalition Government will continue to support manufacturing which is a vital sector for the UK."

It's a Labour MP making her mouth go, that's all.

^^^^

Lets hope you are right -- that it's all talk, --and that any subsidies won't be axed.

It's a Labour MP making her mouth go, that's all.

Rather a dismissive attitude considering Vince Cable said on Monday that the car industry was bad in rude health (it's not) and that government support need not continue (it must). I see the Echo got her constituency wrong - not surprising considering the eviscerating effect Johnston Press has had on the paper (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jun/30/johnston-press-nationalunionofjournalists).

We have to hope the subsidies remain in place, ---otherwise many jobs could be lost.

Here's some optimistic news for a change, ---this from the Echo, --


Nissan bouyed by Juke demandEXCLUSIVE

Nissan's Juke



Published Date:
08 July 2010
By Kevin Clark
Nissan has taken more than 15,000 orders in just a month for the latest model to enter production at its Sunderland plant.
The car giant announced price details for the Juke at the beginning of June, and deliveries will begin across Europe in October.

"We have been feeling very optimistic about the potential for success that Juke offers Nissan in Europe," said Vincent Wijnen, Nissan's European Vice President for Marketing.

"But to receive in excess of 15,000 orders in just four weeks is far beyond our expectations.

"This demand for Juke underlines our initial intention, to meet the needs of customers who are totally uninspired by the traditional offerings available in the European small car segment.

"The car looks like nothing else on the road – a real head-turner –and we can't wait to start delivering them to customers and to finally see them on the road."

The Juke is entirely designed, engineered and built in the UK.

Its look was created at Nissan's London design centre, the concept became a reality at the firm's Cranfield engineering base and Sunderland will be the only plant in Europe building the car.

Nissan predicts that 80 per cent of Juke buyers will be first-time customers.

"We are confident Juke can emulate the incredible success of our Qashqai compact crossover," said Simon Thomas, European senior vice-president for sales and marketing.

"Juke is even bolder, even more adventurous than Qashqai and is set to confirm Nissan's position as a pioneer of crossover in Europe and, indeed, globally."

Juke, which will replace the Micra on the Sunderland production line, was unveiled in February.

Former Wearside factory boss Colin Dodge said: "Juke is one of these cars that really stands out for me – it embodies the creativity, talent and dedication of the people who work in Nissan."

Page 1 of 1

It's the end of the road for the Micra, ---this from todays Sunderland Echo, --



End of the road for the Nissan Micra



Published Date: 16 July 2010
After 18 years, three models and more than 2.3million vehicles, today marks the end of production for the Micra at Nissan in Washington.
The Micra went into production at the plant in 1992.

It went on to win European car of the year following year, the first Japanese vehicle to do so.

In its place, Sunderland is already looking forward to the launch of the all-new Juke crossover
ADVERTISEMENTcar, which will enter production on the former Micra line in mid-August.

But before then staff took time to bid farewell to a car that has attained iconic status at the plant where it has been produced for almost two decades.

The last Micra to be produced in Sunderland will drive off the line during late shift tonight.

It marks the end of an era stretching back to the early 1990s when the very first Micra was manufactured. Its arrival signalled the construction of an entirely new production line transforming Sunderland into a multi-model, high-volume facility.

Sunderland went on to produce nearly 1.4million K11 Micras over the next 10 years until it was replaced by the new K12 Micra in 2002.

The new Nissan Juke has already taken thousands of orders.

See tomorrow's Echo for more on workers saying a final farewell to the Micra.

Bit of good news, ----this from the Sunderland Echo, --



Nissan gets Government boost


Published Date: 28 July 2010
Nissan received a boost today as the new Coalition Government backed a £43million low-carbon car subsidy.

The announcement means that from January thousands of motorists who buy an electric plug-in car such as the Leaf – to be built in Sunderland – will get a discount of up to £5,000.

The scheme was announced by the previous Labour Government,
but it was feared the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would axe it as part of swingeing public spending cuts.

It was put on ice pending the autumn spending review, but the Treasury has now revealed the cash will be ring-fenced, after being lobbied to save it by the vehicle manufacture industry.

The saving cuts the cost of a Leaf – which is hoped will safeguard thousands of jobs on Wearside when production starts in 2012 – to £23,350.

"The coalition Government is absolutely committed to low carbon growth, tackling climate change and making our energy supply more secure," said Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.

"We are sending a clear signal that Britain is open for business and that we are committed to greening our economy.

"This will ensure that the UK is a world leader in low emission vehicles.

"We will review the level of the incentive regularly to ensure that the UK remains competitive and taxpayers get value for money."

Although the electric car subsidy has been saved, the minimum number of grants available has been reportedly cut from 46,000 to 8,600.

Also, it will be introduced at about the same time as VAT increases from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent.

Other good news for Nissan came in the U.S.A. yesterday, as Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced it will take delivery of 500 Leafs in January, initially to offer in selected cities such as Seattle, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego.

"As a company that owns and operates the world's largest fleet of passenger vehicles, we have a vested interest and a history of working with manufacturers to integrate alternative-powered vehicles into our fleet," said director of sustainability Lee Broughton.

Nissan has already teamed up with Hertz to offer the Leaf for rental in America and Europe by early next year.




Page 1 of 1

^^^^


Heres a bit more, ----this from the Echo, --



Wearside gearing up for electic cars

Published Date: 02 August 2010
Wearside is gearing up to go electric as the search starts for super-fast charging point spots across the region.
The move aims to get people snapping up Nissan's electric car Leaf, which can be reserved by motorists from September 1 before being released on to the roads in March.

Development agency One NorthEast is now on the hunt for the best locations to install 12 quick charging points, which can recharge electric cars in 20 to 30 minutes.

The charging points form part of a plan to install 1,300 regular charging points by 2013 as the region gears up for the launch of electric car production at Nissan's Sunderland plant.

Anyone interested in hosting a fast charger or accessing the match-funding for charging points should contact John Lowes on the One NorthEast Plugged-In Places team on 229 6497.

North East should get a big share of £1bn cash pot
August 4th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


THE North East should benefit "substantially" from a £1bn regional growth fund launched by the Government, according to one of the people in charge of the cash.

Port of Tyne chairman Sir Ian Wrigglesworth, who was last week named deputy chairman of the fund’s approval panel, said funding was likely to be focussed on small and medium enterprises that are expected to power economic growth – and create new jobs – in the coming years.

He also expressed hope the fund could be extended beyond its current two-year timeframe, revealing that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was “strongly committed” to the programme.

The developments come after Sir Ian, pictured, was last month appointed deputy chairman of the independent approval panel, which will consider bids for funding and make recommendations to ministers.

Sir Ian said the fund was still in its “very early days” and discussions about how it would operate were continuing, with full details unlikely to be known before the Government’s comprehensive spending review in the autumn. He said: “The purpose of it is to try and generate private sector employment and private sector economic growth in the areas that are over-dependent upon the public sector.

“And probably the best example of that, probably the biggest example of that is the North East of England.

“That imbalance needs to be reversed and the purpose of the growth fund is to assist in that happening. So it is to grow the private sector.” Asked how much cash the North East could receive, he said: “That depends upon bids coming in and it is impossible to say whether the North East will get more than other regions.

“But as it has got such a substantial imbalance then inevitably one would expect it to get a substantial amount of support from the fund.”


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/08/04/north-east-should-get-a-big-share-of-1bn-cash-pot-61634-26991521/

^^^^

Mr Wrigglesworth says the North East --SHOULD benefit "substantially" ---not Will, ---and also in this article there's a few " ifs" but no definites, ---anyway suppose things will be more clear in the Autumn as to what funds will be coming our way, -----and it will be very interesting to see if this Governments --- Regional Growth Fund will be able to create or match the thousands of jobs that One North East did, --- got to hope this works though.

More about the Electric car, ----this from the Echo, --




Fears for Nissan Leaf subsidy



Published Date: 04 August 2010
Wearside MP Sharon Hodgson has welcomed a guarantee from the coalition Government that the planned £5,000 subsidy for electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf will go ahead.
But she has warned it may face the axe before the first vehicle has rolled off the firm's Sunderland production line.

After pressure from the Washington and Sunderland West MP and others in the Commons, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has confi
rmed that the Plugged In Car Grant scheme, initiated by the Labour government, will begin in January 2011.

However, Mr Hammond has only guaranteed that the scheme will run for 15 months and committed less than a fifth of the £230m promised by the Labour government.

The new figure of £43m will stretch to just 8,600 cars.

Ms Hodgson said: "I welcome the fact that the new government hasn't scrapped this scheme altogether – along with my colleagues I have been pressing ministers for a commitment, and now we have it.

"However, I am very concerned that the Transport Secretary has made no assurances that the scheme will still be running when my constituency needs it the most. The failure to guarantee this vital subsidy casts serious doubt on the future sales of the Leaf in the UK, and in turn the future of hundreds of jobs in Sunderland and beyond."

"I will continue to fight to ensure that this important programme is spared from cuts."

Paul Willcox, managing director of Nissan UK, said subsidies that help create demand for electric cars are vital.

"Consumer incentives will bring electric vehicle ownership within reach of UK motorists and make cars like the Nissan Leaf a financially viable alternative to conventional petrol and diesel-powered cars," he said.







Page 1 of 1

Plans to transform the 'sleeping giant'
August 7th 2010, by Neil McKay, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/aug2010/0/1/sir-john-hall-378951430.jpg

Ambitious plans to transform Durham into the “economic powerhouse of the region” have been backed by property tycoon and former Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall.

Sir John, who lives at Wynyard, on the county’s border with Teesside, yesterday described the county as “a sleeping giant” yesterday and backed the County Durham Plan to attract multi-national companies.

Key elements include developing the gateway of Durham City, Aykley Heads – the current site of police and council headquarters – into a business hub capable of attracting the national headquarters of major firms.

To attract companies to Durham, the council plans to invest nearly £100m on roads and 5,000 new houses in and around the city, and a further 23,000 homes throughout the remainder of the county within the next 20 years.

Sir John said: “I have always regarded Durham County Council as the sleeping giant, with great potential, and becoming a unitary authority means the council can help County Durham reach that potential.

“There is a growing demand in County Durham for executive housing, offering something different. For the economy to grow we need these homes for the business community, because it is the business sector which will drive the economy forwards in the future.

“The plan opens the door to the discussion needed to make the visions a reality.” The proposals have not been universally welcomed, especially as they include the building on swathes of green belt land.


FULL ( TWO-PAGE ) ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/08/07/plans-to-transform-the-sleeping-giant-61634-27014560/

^^^^


While there is huge potential with theses plans --and obvious benefits, ----I think there will be quite a few objections over the coming years, -----but I think these plans could be great, ---if they can get the balance right.

We can only hope for the best, ---this from the Echo, ---




Council jobs hope despite cuts

Published Date:
16 August 2010
By Ross Robertson
Council reporter
Hopes are high that council workers in Sunderland will be spared compulsory redundancies as city chiefs brace themselves for the worst cuts in decades.
Sunderland City Council has already seen £9million of funding cuts this year and projects such as the new Wear bridge put in "deep freeze" pending a Government spending review.

Councils and other public sector agencies around the country are expected to shed thousands of jobs.

But chief executive Dave Smith is hopeful the authority can avoid huge job losses while continuing to provide vital services to Wearsiders.

He said: "We are not looking at having a massive redundancy programme of any sort and we will firmly be holding that line."

Dr Smith did, however, say there could be no firm guarantee as the Government pushed ahead with "the biggest level of financial restrictions since the 1920s".

"We can't guarantee we can hold that line. Only time will tell, but we have no plans to do that," he added.

Council leader Paul Watson said keeping jobs would require the co-operation of staff, and so far they had been very supportive.

"We need that flexibility, a work force who will retrain, will accept other jobs, will up-skill," he said.

"If someone says: 'I've done this job for decades and I don't want to do anything different,' then we might have to move on."

The two men said the council had started work on preparing for the grim financial situation as soon as the realities of the global financial crisis became apparent in 2008.

Coun Watson added: "We sat down and said: 'What are we going to do about the real problems we're going to face in 18 months' time?'."

Work has already ground to a halt on the second stage of school building improvements after the Government announced it was axing the Building Schools for the Future programme.

A review is being carried out as to the future of capital investment in schools.

The council must also wait to hear whether the second phase of the Homes and Communities Agency's Kick Start cash will still come to Sunderland to help stalled house building and regeneration.

Cash for the new Wear bridge and the Central Route in the coalfields area are also subject to the comprehensive spending review, the outcomes of which are due in October.

Dr Smith said Sunderland faces a "new world" and the council must change the way it works to get the best out of limited resources and ensure services continue to be delivered to those who need them.

Always bad when people lose their job, ---this from the Echo, --



200 NHS jobs to go

Top news story



Published Date:
17 August 2010
By Tim Booler
Almost 200 NHS jobs are to be axed in Wearside and Durham.
In a bid to save cash, the cull will see 82 jobs go at Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT), and 110 at County Durham PCT – the hardest hit of the region's nine trusts affected.

NHS North East chiefs said that axing a total of 506 jobs would save £27million, to be invested in frontline services.

Staff have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy as part of the shake-up, but compulsory cuts cannot be ruled out until numbers wanting to leave are established.

Those affected were told of the changes yesterday, as part of a consultation which runs until September 15.

David Stout, NHS North East executive director of finance and communications, said: "Like all public sector organisations, the NHS in the region must deliver substantial savings in order to meet the challenges of a difficult economic environment.

"The management cost reductions we have outlined will inevitably impact on many people, and we are of course committed to keeping staff fully informed throughout this difficult process.

"The savings made will be reinvested directly in frontline NHS services, so that we can meet the future challenges of coping with an ageing population, the introduction of new treatments and technologies, and increasing our focus on prevention.

"This forms part of wider work to increase efficiency and productivity in the NHS, and ensure that taxpayers' money is invested wisely to deliver real benefits for patients."

Unions raised fears that despite the savings going to frontline services, the cuts would mean doctors and nurses would not get the support they need.

"The trade unions are happy at any improvement to frontline services for patients, but must point out that managers and administrative staff carry out important functions in the NHS," said Trevor Johnston, of Unison.

"We're very concerned that a reduction in these areas will lead to frontline staff being unable to function effectively, due to lack of administrative and managerial back up.

"We are also concerned with governance issues due to these cuts in staff.

"The trade unions understand that these measures are imposed by the Government, and we are actively engaged in consulting with the employers on the changes."

Karen Straughair, chief executive of Sunderland PCT, said: "While the changes we are proposing will meet the Department of Health's requirements to reduce our overall management costs, we are confident that we will continue to be able to commission local NHS services of the highest quality.

"We are working closely with our staff side representatives to ensure this change process is managed effectively and that staff are supported through this challenging period.

"This is a difficult time for our staff but I am continuously impressed by their dedication and professionalism in continuing to serve our communities."

Yasmin Chaudhry, chief executive of County Durham PCT, said: "I am humbled by the dedication I see on a day-to-day basis from staff, and am fully committed to keeping everyone informed throughout this difficult process.

"We are continuing to work closely with staff side representative to ensure appropriate procedures are followed.

"This is an extremely challenging time for the NHS, and in County Durham and Darlington we are remain determined to ensure we commission healthcare and health services of the highest possible standard for the
communities we serve."

Page 1 of 1

Aycliffe Industrial Park's recovery gains momentum
August 11th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/aug2010/5/0/aycliffe-industrial-park-443017842.jpg

There has been an excellent period of activity in Newton Aycliffe recently.

Since January, there has been sold or let well over 250,000 sq ft in the area and we expect this trend to continue with a number of buildings under offer at present.

The most significant transaction has been the sale of the former Schott Glass site on Aycliffe Industrial Park to dehumidifier manufacturer Ebac.

The sale of this unit to Ebac shows an increasing level of confidence in the market, not only in smaller sales but with large deals like this too.

Ebac will be moving 220 staff to the new 186,000 sq ft building, from their former location in Bishop Auckland which is a huge boost for the local area.

Everything the company needs will all be in one place on this site which is logistically beneficial and will allow Ebac to develop new products to potentially expand the company’s offering.

Ebac has been based in the region for 50 years and this move will ensure their successful continuation for many years to come.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-north-east/features/2010/08/11/park-s-recovery-gains-momentum-51140-27034553/

^^^^

It's always pleasing to read about the progress of Companies and the jobs they either create --or guarantee, ----good news.

Bad news, ----this from the Sunderland Echo, ---



Axe set to fall on health jobs



Published Date:
23 August 2010
By Ross Robertson
Hundreds of health workers will lose their jobs and services face cuts under a planned multimillion-pound cost-cutting exercise, according to a union.
The Northern Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has released information collected from every NHS Foundation Trust and Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the region detailing plans for cutting costs, shedding jobs and reducing bed numbers.

Cuts affecting Wea
Churchill Home Insurance50% off home insurance for no claims in 5 years.Co-operative Car InsuranceSwitching could save you as much as £284Interactive Financial AdviserAdvice on retirement, protection, mortgages, etc.Barclays Life InsurancePeace of mind in minutes - from £5 a monthrside and Durham include:
- City Hospitals Sunderland will cut £22.5million this financial year
- NHS County Durham and Darlington is undertaking a three-year £200million cost-cutting exercise.
- Sunderland TPCT has identified 85 posts for redundancy
- County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is cutting 300 beds and losing 300 nursing jobs through natural wastage. It will save £20million from the 2010/11 budget and £60million by 2014.

Health chiefs estimate they need to make £800million of efficiency savings by 2014, and all cash saved will be reinvested directly into frontline services.

Glenn Turp, regional director for the RCN, said: "It's inevitable that when trusts announce cuts to beds, staff or other areas, but do not announce new investment of equivalent value in, for example, key clinical staff, the suspicion is that this is not a genuine reinvestment programme but just plain old-fashioned cuts."




Page 1 of 1

Heres a bit good news, ---this from BBC Wear, ---



Nissan Juke production begins at Sunderland car plant
The Juke is Nissan's 12th car to be built in Sunderland Production has started of the 12th new vehicle to be made at Nissan's car plant in Sunderland.

The Juke crossover vehicle is part of a £57m investment in the Wearside facility by the Japanese car giant.

More than 1,000 jobs have been safeguarded and a further 2,000 are thought to have been created across Nissan's supply base.

Production of the Juke follows Nissan's launch of its Qashqai crossover vehicle three years ago.

In January 2009 Nissan shed 1,200 jobs at Sunderland because of the global downturn.

A year later it took back 400 staff to work on the Qashqai, taking the plant' s workforce to 4,200.

The Juke, which was created in Nissan centres in the UK and Japan, will go on sale in the UK in October.

Arriva takeover deal is complete
August 28th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/mar2010/7/7/dynamic-arriva-145564129.jpg

GERMAN transport operator Deutsche Bahn has completed its acquisition of bus and train operator Arriva.

Deutsche Bahn yesterday announced the completion of the deal, valued at £1.6 billion and trading in Arriva’s shares has now ceased.

Its chief executive, Dr Rüdiger Grube had earlier said he was “placing his hopes in Sunderland and its existing management team”.

Arriva, which runs bus and rail services in the UK and 12 countries on the Continent, had agreed to the 775p a share deal which will make it a wholly-owned subsidiary of the German group in April.

Arriva, which employs 150 staff at its Sunderland headquarters employs more than 44,000 staff including around 2,000 in the North East, made a £121.7m profit last year and had a £3.1m turnover.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/08/28/arriva-takeover-deal-is-complete-51140-27153812/

^^^^

We have to hope the takeover will not result in any job losses, ---lets hope they might even recruit more.

Really good to see jobs being created, ---this from the Echo, --



Jobs joy for Wearside



Published Date: 01 September 2010
Hundreds of jobs are set for Sunderland.

Call centre 2Touch – based at Doxford International Business Park – announced today it is breaking the economic trend and is starting the search for 200 extra sales staff to cope with soaring demand.

2Touch boss Stuart Gray said part of the reason
they were able to grow so well was the fact the company's staff were providing a renowned service.

He said: "At a time when many companies are looking to cut costs and restructure, we are in the very fortunate position of being able to offer well-paying jobs to a large number of people.

"We are delighted to be able to do this and recognise the importance of these new jobs to the North East. Many of our clients are based outside of the region and we know that they are very impressed by the attitude, enthusiasm and ability to deliver results of our staff."

Gary Hutchinson, chair of the North East Chamber of Commerce Sunderland committee, said the move was a big boost to the business credentials of the city.

Mr Hutchinson said: "The news that another national brand is to place confidence in Sunderland with the creation of a further 200 jobs is excellent news, strengthening its position as a major employer within the city.

"This builds on the success of Doxford International as a leading UK location for call centres and associated businesses and I wish them every success."

Doxford's Coun Elizabeth Gibson described the announcement as "absolutely brilliant."

She said: "It is great news. I am so pleased for the area and for the people who are going to work there."

And 2Touch says it will offer industry-busting salaries to get the best people possible, in full and part-time roles.

Mr Gray said: "We are offering a basic starting salary of £14,620, which is up from the previous £13,650, rising to £17,550 after two years.

"While we are predominantly looking for full-time staff, we most definitely do want to hear from people who would prefer part-time work, as we feel the jobs are ideal for people requiring flexible working."

And as well as sales staff, the company is also looking for people with management and team-coaching experience – as well as people who are ambitious and willing to learn.

Mr Gray added: "While sales experience would be an asset, the company is keen to identify people who are ambitious, good communicators and listeners and have outgoing personalities."

"We will provide all the training and support that is required to make sure they are very well prepared for the job."

The outbound sales call centre adviser posts see workers act as an initial point of contact for potential customers and the role includes identifying customer needs, promoting appropriate products and services and attaining customer commitment as well as sales closure.

Today's news comes almost a year to the day since 2Touch announced plans to recruit another 200 staff.

Anyone who would like more details on the roles should email recruitment@2touch.co.uk or call 0800 694 4076.




Page 1 of 1

Excellent news about the 200 jobs at Doxford. The £17,550 basic salary (after two years) is not at all bad for Sunderland, particularly for the types of young, carefree school-leavers attracted to jobs at places like 2Touch.

Taking the North East's destiny into our own hands
September 6th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


THE Government will today be asked to green light a regional body which will hand the North East control of its own economic destiny.

Business leaders have come together to urge ministers to back a new economic body modelled on the successful Northern Development Company.

The aim is for it to be able to bid for cash from the Government’s £1bn Regional Growth Fund.

The North East Economic Partnership will also be tasked with bringing jobs to the region and helping businesses in areas such as renewable energy.

It has the potential to help create thousands of jobs.

The move means the North East could be the only part of the United Kingdom to retain a regional voice, which would allow it to compete as a united force against the likes of Manchester and Leeds for new jobs and investment.

Regional unity is believed to be essential if support is to continue for projects such as Blyth’s National Renewable Energy Centre, which is driving the so-called low carbon economy in the region.

Since the general election, The Journal has fought The Case for The North East, calling on politicians not to scrap the structures which have allowed businesses and council leaders from Teesside to Berwick the chance to say what is best for the region as a whole.

Since the coalition Government was formed, almost every regional development agency has been scaled back or scrapped, with powers and cash originally used to promote the North East now grabbed back by Whitehall.

Councils and businesses across the region will today also submit their plans for up to five local enterprise partnerships.

These will be tasked with securing economic growth at a more local level. Ministers will consider bids from the Tees Valley, a Newcastle and Gateshead bid, a Sunderland and South Tyneside bid and a bid from Northumberland and North Tyneside as well as an expected bid from Durham.

The Government may yet order councils to form bigger partnerships if the new bodies, with powers over local housing and transport, are deemed to be too small.

Paul Watson, chair of the Association of North East Councils, last night dismissed fears the region’s partnerships would be forced to compete with each other for investment and insisted they would work together under the new regional body.

Key Areas

THE North East Economic Partnership will focus on:

Promotion of enterprise and business growth through developing innovation and exploiting research;

The development of sectors that are strategic to the UK and are clustered in the North East, such as low carbon vehicles, offshore wind, chemicals and process industries;

Account managing and supporting inquiries for new investment from both existing businesses and inward investors;

Bidding for and programme managing the European Regional Development Funds and the Rural Development Programme for England funds;

The development and delivery of new approaches to financing and supporting business growth;

Providing strategic input on other key related areas linked to economic growth such as integrated transport and energy investment.


FULL ( FIVE PAGES LONG ) ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/09/06/taking-the-north-east-s-destiny-into-our-own-hands-61634-27208624/

Taking the North East's destiny into our own hands
September 6th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


THE Government will today be asked to green light a regional body which will hand the North East control of its own economic destiny.

Business leaders have come together to urge ministers to back a new economic body modelled on the successful Northern Development Company.

The aim is for it to be able to bid for cash from the Government’s £1bn Regional Growth Fund.

The North East Economic Partnership will also be tasked with bringing jobs to the region and helping businesses in areas such as renewable energy.

It has the potential to help create thousands of jobs.

The move means the North East could be the only part of the United Kingdom to retain a regional voice, which would allow it to compete as a united force against the likes of Manchester and Leeds for new jobs and investment.

Regional unity is believed to be essential if support is to continue for projects such as Blyth’s National Renewable Energy Centre, which is driving the so-called low carbon economy in the region.

Since the general election, The Journal has fought The Case for The North East, calling on politicians not to scrap the structures which have allowed businesses and council leaders from Teesside to Berwick the chance to say what is best for the region as a whole.

Since the coalition Government was formed, almost every regional development agency has been scaled back or scrapped, with powers and cash originally used to promote the North East now grabbed back by Whitehall.

Councils and businesses across the region will today also submit their plans for up to five local enterprise partnerships.

These will be tasked with securing economic growth at a more local level. Ministers will consider bids from the Tees Valley, a Newcastle and Gateshead bid, a Sunderland and South Tyneside bid and a bid from Northumberland and North Tyneside as well as an expected bid from Durham.

The Government may yet order councils to form bigger partnerships if the new bodies, with powers over local housing and transport, are deemed to be too small.

Paul Watson, chair of the Association of North East Councils, last night dismissed fears the region’s partnerships would be forced to compete with each other for investment and insisted they would work together under the new regional body.

Key Areas

THE North East Economic Partnership will focus on:

Promotion of enterprise and business growth through developing innovation and exploiting research;

The development of sectors that are strategic to the UK and are clustered in the North East, such as low carbon vehicles, offshore wind, chemicals and process industries;

Account managing and supporting inquiries for new investment from both existing businesses and inward investors;

Bidding for and programme managing the European Regional Development Funds and the Rural Development Programme for England funds;

The development and delivery of new approaches to financing and supporting business growth;

Providing strategic input on other key related areas linked to economic growth such as integrated transport and energy investment.


FULL ( FIVE PAGES LONG ) ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/09/06/taking-the-north-east-s-destiny-into-our-own-hands-61634-27208624/

This is a very interesting, important and complex matter. Here's my take on it:

- I think a regional body (North East Economic Partnership) would create that critical mass of activity required to attract a large chunk of the Regional Growth Fund, and would certainly allow key low-carbon projects, such as Nissan's electric vehicles programme and the Blyth Renewable Energy project, to continue successfully. This would definitely improve the region's competitiveness on a national level in terms of economic growth in low-carbon industries.

- However, sub-regional Local Enterprise Partnerships are being proposed where 1-3 local authorities group to address issues such as housing, inward investment and transport. This would allow the sub-regions to become more competitive on a regional level.

I personally can't see how this structure of having a regional body sitting above more local bodies is much different to having an RDA sitting above URCs and local authorities. To me, this structure would result in the same bureaucratic barriers in accessing funding that the RDA has and I don't see how both a regional body and sub-regional bodies could simultaneously bid for central government funding in a streamlined way.

I would like to see, from a Sunderland-biased point of view, a strong Local Enterprise Partnership board set up with business leaders from Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham. We have a number of highly successful businesses in this area, and a number of existing economic linkages with South Tyneside and East Durham particularly. I really think this economic region could compete with any.

This would ultimately allow the sub-region to compete with the likes of Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside for subsidies in a real way, instead of having another regional body sat above us, risking another scenario where the sub-regions may lose out for the sake of the 'regional agenda'. I think we need to promote the range of local identities within our region, instead of pretending that our region has one single identity, which it certainly doesn't.

.
More on the ^^ the above . . .


Plans set out for North East Economic Partnership
September 6th 2010, Evening Gazette


AN alliance of organisations has today set out its plans for a North East Economic Partnership as a new strategic economic body for the region.

The Northern Business Forum (NBF), including the CBI, Federation of Small Businesses, EEF and North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) plus sector bodies such as NEPIC and Service Network, has been working with the Association of North East Councils (ANEC) on the future of economic development in the region.

NBF and ANEC have set out their case for a North East Economic Partnership in a submission to the Government today that accompanies and complements five bids from across the North-east for Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Together these bids are geared to delivering sustainable economic growth in the UK through a genuine partnership of businesses and local authorities.

Among the five Local Enterprise Partnership bids in the North-east is one for the Teesside area.

The North East Economic Partnership will focus on:

:: Promotion of productivity, enterprise and business growth through developing innovation and exploiting research and development capabilities

:: The development of sectors that are strategic to the UK and are clustered in the North-east, such as low carbon vehicles, offshore wind, chemicals and process industries

:: Account managing and supporting enquiries for new investment from both existing businesses and inward investors

:: Bidding for and programme managing the European Regional Development Funds and the Rural Development Programme for England funds

:: The development and delivery of new approaches to financing and supporting business growth

:: Providing strategic input on other key related areas linked to economic growth such as integrated transport and energy investment


FULL ( TWO PAGE ) ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/09/06/plans-set-out-for-north-east-economic-partnership-51140-27211192/

^^^^


Seem to have heard similar stuff before, ----anyway, --I hope this will work, --and they can create thousands of jobs.

The way I read it is that the NEEP will be responsible for directing development across the LEP's. Like the article above says its focus will be on developing industries such as electric cars, offshore wind, etc. The LEPs will then have to bid for the funds.

Unlike what the article says I expect they will have to compete in some situations and in my mind that seems to be the point. It should encourage higher quality bids if it's done properly.

Not good news, ---this from BBC Wear, --



Report finds low resilience in Sunderland and Co Durham
Click to play
Click to play
Sunderland careers adviser Marie Brett does not believe there will be enough private sector jobs
Sunderland and County Durham are poorly placed to weather future economic shocks, according to BBC-commissioned research.

The Experian study ranks English council areas' resilience to economic changes, such as public sector cuts.

Out of a table of 324 districts, Sunderland is placed at 308, with Durham at 276 and Darlington at 260.

The research aims to show the ability of areas to withstand and respond to future changes, such as job losses.

But it does not indicate the areas which will suffer the greatest amount of public sector cuts.

The north-east of England is said to be particularly vulnerable to spending cuts because of the high proportion of people working in the public sector.

Continue reading the main story
A special BBC News season examining the approaching cuts to public sector spending

The Spending Review: Making It Clear
The Look North Debate
In some areas this amounts to almost one in three of the workforce.

One of those concerned about the future is Marie Brett, who works for Sunderland City Council's careers advice service and lives in Morpeth.

She said: "I suppose I have been involved in the career guidance sector for the last 23 years helping people cope with changes in their working lives, very often redundancy.

"And now I am in a situation where I am not sure this time next year whether I will have a job or what that job's likely to be."

The researchers looked at resilience across four areas - business, community, people and place - and considered 33 factors.

Continue reading the main story Resilience: Full Data
DownloadExperian resilience data - in full[645kb]

DownloadExperian methodology[41kb]
They included the strength of the business base, people's skills, house prices, crime levels and the level of benefit claimants.

Listen to the BBC Newcastle debate at 0900 BST on Friday.

Sounds about right. The cuts are obviously going to hit old industrial areas harder than other areas of the country, just as the recession did (despite early predictions to the contrary).

npower to open its new offices in Rainton Bridge
September 8th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal


THE chief executive of multi-national utility giant npower will arrive in the region later this week to officially open its new regional offices at Rainton Bridge in Sunderland.

The ceremony on Friday marks the completion of the largest property deal in the North East for a decade, as 2,000 npower employees from existing regional offices are brought together within one 220,000sqft, state-of-the-art building.

Volker Beckers, chief executive of RWE npower, said: “Rainton Bridge represents npower’s commitment to a number of areas – the service given to our customers, our investment within the local community, our commitment to the North East, and also the interests of our staff.”

Npower’s Rainton Bridge offices, originally earmarked for Northern Rock, includes a gym complete with a professional trainer, in addition to a large restaurant and deli-bar.

The firm says that, later this year, a new £200m IT system will be introduced to improve customer communications and billing systems.


ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-north-east/news/2010/09/08/npower-to-open-its-new-offices-in-rainton-bridge-51140-27222162/

Sounds about right. The cuts are obviously going to hit old industrial areas harder than other areas of the country, just as the recession did (despite early predictions to the contrary).


Yeah this study points to the North East as being one of the most likely areas that will suffer, ----another area is the Midlands, -----I think most of us could see this coming.

npower to open its new offices in Rainton Bridge
September 8th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal


THE chief executive of multi-national utility giant npower will arrive in the region later this week to officially open its new regional offices at Rainton Bridge in Sunderland.

The ceremony on Friday marks the completion of the largest property deal in the North East for a decade, as 2,000 npower employees from existing regional offices are brought together within one 220,000sqft, state-of-the-art building.

Volker Beckers, chief executive of RWE npower, said: “Rainton Bridge represents npower’s commitment to a number of areas – the service given to our customers, our investment within the local community, our commitment to the North East, and also the interests of our staff.”

Npower’s Rainton Bridge offices, originally earmarked for Northern Rock, includes a gym complete with a professional trainer, in addition to a large restaurant and deli-bar.

The firm says that, later this year, a new £200m IT system will be introduced to improve customer communications and billing systems.


ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-north-east/news/2010/09/08/npower-to-open-its-new-offices-in-rainton-bridge-51140-27222162/



I'm pleased the new Building is fully occupied, ---and reading that article, --they have all the mod cons, ---what with a Gym and Pro Trainer, --a large Restaurant, --and a deli-bar, ---the workers are well looked after these days like.:)

North East leading the way in overseas sales
September 11th 2010, by Chris Knox, The Journal


THE NORTH EAST saw the fastest rate of growth in overseas sales in the country, during the second quarter of 2010.

Figures announced by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) show that the value of North East exports during the period was £2.9 billion, which is the second highest quarterly value ever recorded and is up 16.7% on the first three months of the year, and an increase of 35.5% on the same period in 2009.

The report shows that the West Midlands saw the second biggest increase in export activity, up 14.3% on the first quarter, with London recording a 5.3% drop.

The total value of goods exported from the North East over the last 12 months grew by 6% to reach £10.64 billion, which is 2% more than the average growth for the rest of England.

The value of exports to EU markets has recovered to around the levels recorded in early 2008, while exports to non-EU destinations have reached 45% of the region’s total export value.

“The North East has a strong export tradition, and while it’s still a little too early to tell whether this improved picture is a significant long-term pattern, businesses should continue to put themselves in the best possible position for growth by looking for overseas opportunities. We at UKTI will continue to work with partners and with companies to ensure that this recent good form in export sales continues.”

Andrew Sugden, policy director at the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: “The North East has always has a good pedigree when it come to exports, so it is no surprise that it is the first to benefit once conditions start to improve.

“Nissan in Sunderland has had a very successful year, which reflects the high number of cars that have been exported out of the North East in recent months. It is clear that many firms involved in the region’s export market have positioned themselves well.”


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/09/11/north-east-leading-the-way-in-overseas-sales-51140-27244685/

^^^^


Well done to the North East of England, --and a pat on the back for the West Midlands too, -------two areas that are most likely to suffer the most from Governments cuts, --according to a new study

Scheme will take us right back to the bad old days
September 14th 2010, by Neil McKay, The Journal


A Town Planning expert has warned that a new council planning policy, publicly backed by property tycoon Sir John Hall, could condemn less prosperous County Durham communities to stagnate and die.

Dr Dorothy Hamilton is running an adult education course next month which will investigate the history of the Category D policy which threatened the future of over 100 Durham villages in the 1960s.

The controversial plan would have banned any new development in the blighted settlements and left them to die a lingering death.

And Dr Hamilton, of Ushaw Moor, Durham, who has a PhD in local history, warned that a new planning document announced recently by Durham County Council – and publicly backed by Sir John – could have a similar impact on less prosperous villages in the 21st century.

“The new plan for County Durham which is under consultation at the moment has some unfortunate echoes of Category D about it.” she said.

“Option A in the plan seems to be about centralising most of the economic development of County Durham on Durham City, which has implications for smaller communities.”

She added: “The Category D planning policy would have centralised more of the population of Durham in towns and larger villages, nearer to new industrial estates. The policy would have left many villages to decline, become derelict, and finally to be demolished. The policy was extremely unpopular with many local communities.

“The story of the Category D villages shows how public opposition, reported in the local press, played a crucial part in defeating the plans.”

The new County Durham plan – the blueprint of county council planners – intends to transform Durham into the “economic powerhouse of the region” and Sir John, the former Newcastle United chairman who lives at Wynyard, on the county’s border with Teesside, backed it to attract multi-national companies.

Key elements include developing the gateway of Durham City, Aykley Heads – the current site of police and council headquarters – into a business hub capable of attracting the national headquarters of major firms.

To attract companies to Durham, the council plans to invest nearly £100m on roads and 5,000 new houses in and around the city, and a further 23,000 homes throughout the remainder of the county within the next 20 years.

But opponents say the plan would destroy Durham City, tear up greenbelt and ignore whole communities.


FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/09/14/scheme-will-take-us-right-back-to-the-bad-old-days-61634-27261338/

^^^^


I've mentioned before how these plans could be great news for the area, --but there will undoubtedly be many objections, ---they have to get the balance right.

^^^^

This will be great if this happens, ---with thousand's of new jobs being created, --and huge benefits for the area, --fingers crossed.

This is something I wasn't aware of but would be a significant boost to the area if it were to happen.

This is the proposed site: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=amazon+park&sll=54.591411,-1.568213&sspn=0.021508,0.066047&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&hq=amazon+park&hnear=&ll=54.5936,-1.572847&spn=0.043015,0.132093&t=h&z=14

The support that One North East gives,
will be noticed once it has gone
September 22nd 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


IN the next few months the region will see for itself the full extent of development agency One North East’s support for business.

The agency will announce massive cuts in funding on Friday and, with further blows still to come, the region is braced for the Government to force them into difficult decisions.

Spending is unlikely to return to previous levels and it is more important than ever that money generated by land and buildings owned by the development agency is made available to any successor body.

A large amount of this cash comes from the Buildings for Business programme. This was set up as a joint venture with UK Land Estates in 2004. The original valuation of the land and buildings was £148m, however a number of sites have been disposed of and the latest valuation is £125m.

The portfolio now comprises 17 industrial estates and 781 commercial units. The largest of the partnership’s estates is Team Valley.

Others include Teesside Industrial Estate in Stockton; Nelson Park in Cramlington; Pallion in Sunderland and Boldon Industrial Estate in South Tyneside.

The partnership generates a steady income stream to the agency of between £6m and £9m each year. As well as this, there is the agency’s land bank. Onsite North East was set up as a joint venture with Langtree in 2009.

It is made up of 23 sites that have a total value of about £25m. The agency’s reach stretches further than just its physical assets. It has a major stake in various key regeneration projects, including plans to transform Sunderland’s former Vaux brewery site and the hopes of building Science City, a flagship science and research HQ in Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University.


Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/09/22/support-one-north-east-gave-will-be-noticed-once-it-has-gone-61634-27315771/#ixzz10FGz8SMX

^^^^

Well we can only hope this happens, ---it will be great for the area, --and would bring huge benefits, --but it's like a number of other things, --and we will have to wait until next month to find out, --fingers crossed for this and others.

North East efforts to create work crippled by £33m cuts
September 25th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/sep2010/4/7/one-north-east-950472098.jpg

THE North East economy was dealt a substantial blow last night as £33m worth of cuts were unveiled.

Development agency One North East outlined reduced funding to 78 projects yesterday. As a result it is thought some 3,000 jobs will now not be created, with 700 planned new businesses unlikely to be set up.

The cuts were forced on the region as part of the coalition Government’s efforts to tackle the country’s debt.

Further blows are expected next month when the agency’s budget is revealed in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

But today some of the region’s biggest firms and councils are going back to the drawing board as they look to fill funding black holes that have opened up in their accounts.

The cuts include money to help buy up land around Newcastle’s planned flagship science HQ, cash taken from the redevelopment of Gateshead town centre, more than £4m wiped off tourism promotion and the withdrawal of cash for a new hotel and ski slope in Sunderland

The damage at a glance

Around 3,000 fewer jobs and 700 fewer businesses will be created as a result of the cuts.

£1m which would have paid for a much-needed regeneration scheme for the dated Gateshead Town Centre, including "landmark" buildings for retail and leisure, has been wiped.

£545,000 for infrastructure works at Durham Tees Valley Airport has been axed.

£450,000 reduction to scheme to retrain staff made redundant from Corus, cut from £750,000 to £300,000

£40,000 cut to the National Renewable Energy Centre’s scheme to promote work going on in the region’s energy sector, as well as a £100,000 cut to solar technology and business development costs.

£50,000 trimmed off the budget of 1NG, the City Development Company charged with growing the economy in Newcastle and Gateshead and also funded by local authorities.

Newcastle’s Science Central project loses £850,000 intended to help buy up city centre land for new hi-tech businesses.

Sunderland faces a difficult future as several regeneration and business support efforts are cut. Reductions include removal of £406,000 from plans for a new hotel and ski slope in Wearside.

Business Link, which has helped more than 30,000 small businesses across the region, loses £5m.

Money to support some of the region’s biggest events and festivals withdrawn. The likes of Evolution Festival and Sunderland Airshow could have to search for new funding.

More than £2m withdrawn from the national tourism campaign after Vince Cable refused permission for the agency to continue the Passionate People, Passionate Places campaign.

Tourist groups across the region told to prepare for a complete halt in funding from April.

One North East announces continuation of its own redundancy programme. 44 of its 400 staff will lose their jobs this month.


Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/09/25/north-east-efforts-to-create-work-crippled-by-33m-cuts-61634-27338786/#ixzz10WpIEr3k

http://www.onenortheast.co.uk/page/budget-reductions.cfm - The cuts are detailed in full here.

Notably the funding for the New Sunderland bridge isn't included as a cut. With £8.5m coming from One North East it would have been an easy one to cut, or perhaps they know the £93m will still come from the Government?

Or is it wishful thinking to believe things are that well coordinated?

http://www.onenortheast.co.uk/page/budget-reductions.cfm - The cuts are detailed in full here.

Notably the funding for the New Sunderland bridge isn't included as a cut. With £8.5m coming from One North East it would have been an easy one to cut, or perhaps they know the £93m will still come from the Government?

Or is it wishful thinking to believe things are that well coordinated?


We can hope marra, ----but I won't be holding my breath.

Serviced sites are attracting interest
October 6th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/oct2010/8/2/radial-64-191691588.jpg

Future industrial developments along the North East's main transport corridors are being hampered by the current economic uncertainty, say North East property experts.

The case for having 'oven-ready' sites capable of taking new commercial buildings as soon as a serious interest is expressed and thereby facilitating physical regeneration, new or safeguarded jobs and economic self-sufficiency for the North cannot have been more clearly demonstrated than by recent developments in Washington.

The success of Radial 64, the new name for the former 45-acre Dunlop/SP Tyres site just off the A1 at the Washington Services, in attracting new industrial developments for Rolls-Royce and BAE is evidence that the availability of well-positioned, serviced land which can be readily developed attracts investment.

Similarly, on the other side of Washington interest is being expressed in the land available at Turbine Park adjacent to the A19 and from our own activities in the market where we have been researching the availability of land and buildings for clients, we know there are inquiries for further industrial development which have yet to be satisfied.

What this proves is that serviced land in the right place will be taken up, not least because the gestation of major schemes is almost always greater than relatively short-lived periods of reduced business activity, but that the region’s prosperity is at absolute risk if the process of bringing forward new sites is interrupted or delayed.

When the Radial 64 and Turbine schemes are finally built out, Washington will need to have land for the next generation of job-creating industrial production.

But how the provision of new sites is going to be facilitated and even more importantly, how they will be funded is the crucial question. Radial and Turbine were private sector initiatives undertaken at the height of the market. That sort of speculation and risk taking is not going to happen now.

Perhaps alone among the North East councils, Sunderland City has had a reputation for putting its money where its mouth is in terms of financial support for companies, but central government must recognise that investment in bringing forward new sites for development by remediating adverse ground conditions and providing both road access and utility connections will repay the investment a thousand times over in the long run.


MORE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-north-east/features/2010/10/06/serviced-sites-are-attracting-interest-51140-27409081/

Sunderland is the place to start up business
October 7th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal


SUNDERLAND has the fastest-growing rate of new business start-ups in the UK with Stockton coming in third and Newcastle 33rd, according to a new survey.

The findings, from the Royal Mail, show that the number of new businesses in the UK has increased for the first time in 18 months, with more than 39,000 new ventures launched in the past six months.

The Royal Mail said there had been a 13% rise in new start-ups between March and August compared with the previous six months.

Keith Jones, head of data strategy at Royal Mail, said: “The picture for start-up companies in the UK is optimistic and we should take this as a good sign that throughout the UK there is a lot of opportunity and entrepreneurial spirit, despite the difficult economic climate.”

Sunderland was the fastest-growing city in terms of businesses established in the past six months.

The number of start-up businesses in the city, as a percentage of all the businesses in the area, is 1.89%, while Rotherham in South Yorkshire (1.86%) and Stockton (1.76%) followed close behind.

Sunderland City Council leader Coun Paul Watson said: “The Royal Mail survey shows that there’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the city and how commerce and industry regard Sunderland as a good place to do business.

“The city council and its partners are totally committed to helping people start their own businesses and seeing companies grow.

“Sunderland also continues to attract business with more than 8,000 jobs created in the last seven years.”


ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/07/sunderland-is-the-place-to-start-up-business-51140-27418762/

Sunderland is the place to start up business
October 7th 2010, by Peter McCusker, The Journal


SUNDERLAND has the fastest-growing rate of new business start-ups in the UK with Stockton coming in third and Newcastle 33rd, according to a new survey.

The findings, from the Royal Mail, show that the number of new businesses in the UK has increased for the first time in 18 months, with more than 39,000 new ventures launched in the past six months.

The Royal Mail said there had been a 13% rise in new start-ups between March and August compared with the previous six months.

Keith Jones, head of data strategy at Royal Mail, said: “The picture for start-up companies in the UK is optimistic and we should take this as a good sign that throughout the UK there is a lot of opportunity and entrepreneurial spirit, despite the difficult economic climate.”

Sunderland was the fastest-growing city in terms of businesses established in the past six months.

The number of start-up businesses in the city, as a percentage of all the businesses in the area, is 1.89%, while Rotherham in South Yorkshire (1.86%) and Stockton (1.76%) followed close behind.

Sunderland City Council leader Coun Paul Watson said: “The Royal Mail survey shows that there’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the city and how commerce and industry regard Sunderland as a good place to do business.

“The city council and its partners are totally committed to helping people start their own businesses and seeing companies grow.

“Sunderland also continues to attract business with more than 8,000 jobs created in the last seven years.”


ARTICLE HERE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/07/sunderland-is-the-place-to-start-up-business-51140-27418762/

This is indeed good news and more importantly its great PR for Sunderland in terms of attracting the attention of large businesses as a place to invest.

I sometimes question the research behind these studies though. I read a magazine article at work where Sunderland was placed near the bottom of the list for new business start-ups. Which one is more valid? This one I hope.

http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4647

Initial designs for the proposed £10m development aiming to create up to 140 hi-tech jobs have been unveiled...

The state-of-the-art development is-planned for Tavistock Place, near Mowbray Park, in the city's Sunniside Quarter.
Software centre

It is designed to be a centrepiece for Sunderland Software City, the regional initiative inspiring and supporting the growth of the local software industry.

The 53,000 sq ft development would include space for 60 cutting-edge businesses, as well as exhibition space, showing visitors in a fun and interactive way the role software plays in their lives.

Construction firm BAM – which has previously worked on developments such as Johannesburg Soccer City, the venue of the recent World Cup Final - has been appointed to build the centre.

Janet Snaith, Head of Business Investment, Sunderland City Council, said: "I am delighted that we are moving into the planning stages for this landmark building.

"The Software City Initiative has already proven to be a huge success and new businesses have moved into the council's Evolve centre at Rainton Bridge Business Park.

"I am sure that this building will prove equally successful in generating new businesses and jobs in this exciting new hi-tech sector."

Representatives of constructors BAM will be at the Tavistock site on Friday 8 October and Saturday 9 October to give people and businesses more information about the development.

Subject to planning permissions, work on the building could begin early next year and be completed in early 2012.

Bernie Callaghan, Chief Executive Officer of Sunderland Software City, said: "This development is not just about bringing jobs and investment to Sunderland - it's about creating an building both the city and the region can be proud of, which we hope will become the home of regional and national software innovation.

"The building is also a sign of the progress being made in the North East in cutting-edge industries, underlining our region's industrial rebirth."

The building is being part financed with a £4.75m grant from the European Regional Development Fund, secured through regional development agency One North East, which is also contributing £2.95m to the project. Sunderland City Council is contributing £2.6m towards the project.

David Cramond, One North East Director of Capital Development, said: "This new software centre will build on our region's significant strengths in the digital sector, which has the potential to create thousands of new jobs.

"It will provide a new focal point for the software industry in the thriving Sunniside quarter, bringing further quality development and attracting more professionals into Sunderland city centre."

A similar development for new hi-tech software businesses at the City Council's Evolve business centre at Rainton Bridge has already proved to be highly successful and more than 30 companies are now based there.

^^^^

Very good news marra, --and lets hope it does begin next year, --and the Design looks canny too.

Leaked document shows Sunderland
likely to be in a "North East" LEP
October 8th 2010, by Mike Hughes, Evening Gazette


THE controversial move by Teesside to demand its own Local Enterprise Partnership from the Government could be on the brink of remarkable success.

The bid led by Tees Valley Unlimited has been named in a leaked document circulating Whitehall as one of the new LEPs.

The list of winners - and losers - in the race between regions to be responsible for their own economic regeneration - also claims that a 'North-East LEP', will be approved.

It will comprise Newcastle City Council; Gateshead; Northumberland CC; North Tyneside; Sunderland City Council; South Tyneside MBC and Durham County Council.

There is no mention of Teesside there, so the final structure and reporting lines are still uncertain.

The list has been published by the respected Local Government Chronicle and has yet to be officially approved.

A Government spokesperson commented: “No final decisions have yet been made on successful local enterprise partnership proposals, or otherwise. Ministers are still considering all local enterprise partnership proposals submitted and will be providing feedback to partnerships in due course. The published list is purely speculative.”

But it goes into some detail about the make-up of the successful bidders and will be seen as a reliable early look at a conclusive statement from the office of Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.


MORE HERE, IN A 'THREE-PAGE' ARTICLE - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/08/leaked-document-favours-teesside-lep-bid-51140-27429440/

Sunderland is celebrating a jobs bonanza today after the Government announced plans to create 140 new roles in the city.

The new posts form part of a nationwide recruitment drive to find workers to help carry out the 2011 Census.

The Government has launched the campaign which will fill thousands of full-time and part-time jobs across England and Wales, with 1,500 posts in the North East alone.

Another 300 jobs are expected to be created across County Durham and Darlington.

More: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/census_jobs_boost_for_city_1_1997671

Bosses in plea over regional shake-up
October 11th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


BUSINESS leaders last night urged the Government to honour its promise and back a plan for a powerful regional voice.

Top employers have united in a final plea for a new organisation to be set up controlling hundreds of millions of pounds worth of investment power.

It comes as ministers prepare to announce the number of new council partnerships that will be created across the North East to replace regeneration agency One North East.

It is understood a letter has been sent to ministers warning them not to go back on an earlier promise to listen to the voice of business when considering the latest shake-up in regional governance.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Business Secretary Vince Cable have forced a series of local enterprise partnerships on to council chiefs after the coalition Government decided it wanted to see an end to regional bodies.

But when forcing through the changes, believed now to feature one group covering Teesside and another covering the remaining North East councils, the ministers promised the final decision on what was best would rest in the hands of the region’s biggest employers.

Yet despite asking for the creation of a North East Economic Partnership to handle inward investment and control business grants and European regeneration cash, the Government has signalled it is unlikely to offer any real powers.

A decision on how many local enterprise partnerships will be created and tasked with smaller business support and transport projects will be announced within a week.

When the Government asked for partnership proposals the region looked as if it would be split into five groups competing for a slice of the £1bn regional growth fund.

Since then it appears the Government has forced city leaders to put aside personal differences and form two partnerships at most, in recognition that the original proposals were too small and fragmented to stand a chance of competing against the likes of Manchester and Leeds.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/10/11/bosses-in-plea-over-regional-shake-up-61634-27444865/#ixzz122Daxusr

^^^^

We will find out soon enough, ----but personally, ---I would have kept the ONE in place, ---I think they were doing a decent job, --creating thousands of jobs.

Some good news, ---this from the Echo, --



Centre could create 200 jobsSponsored by Lumley Castle
Published on Sat Oct 09 17:50:43 BST 2010


TWENTY companies and 200 jobs could be created by a new business centre planned for Wearside.


Sunderland Council has earmarked £3million to build the “managed workspace” centre in Washington, to foster new start-up firms.

Cabinet member Coun Bryan Charlton said it would address a shortage of office accommodation in the area, by providing 40,000 sq ft in for people to create their own businesses.

Potential sites for the development have been identified in Washington, but none are owned by the city council.

Senior councillors have approved a procurement process to find the most suitable option.

Coun Charlton said Washington had the largest supply of industrial workshops on Wearside, and the majority of the city’s industrial move-on space.

But there had been very little office development in the area, and while space exist catered for larger firms, the demand was for smaller firms.

Turn to Page 4

Despite the need for business start up accommodation, Coun Charlton said developers and property investors were reluctant to provide it as the costs were high and the security of income from very small firms and new start-ups was poor.

The scheme is estimated to cost £6million. Sunderland’s ruling cabinet has approved £3million be allocated from its Working Neighbourhoods Fund, and is applying to European Regional Development Fund for the rest.

Coun Charlton added: “We have provided premises for start-ups across the city and there’s growing demand in Washington.

“The purpose of the Washington Managed Workspace is to attract, start, and grow a range of business by the provision of high quality flexible space and the appropriate technical infrastructure.”

Gary Hutchinson, chairman of the Sunderland committee of the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a very positive move for Washington and the wider community.

“Sunderland City Council has provided similar facilities in the city itself for a number of years and the expansion into the Washington area is another great step forward.

“The centre will provide an ideal location for local people to start their own businesses as well as a really encouraging and supportive environment, which is exactly what is needed when businesses are starting out. The NECC will be providing full support to both the businesses involved and the city council.

“There is real momentum in the business community at the moment, particularly following the announcement that a new software centre will also be constructed at Tavistock Place.

“We need to expand on projects such as this through the coming months and years to really nurture businesses and drive development and prosperity in the city.”

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I see the HSBC bank in Fawcett St is closing next month, sadly another blow for Fawcett Street.

I see the HSBC bank in Fawcett St is closing next month, sadly another blow for Fawcett Street.


Yeah, --that's bad news, ---and not just in Sunderland, --I fear there will be more bad news for the rest of the Country in the next few years

Thorn Lighting plans to light up region
October 13th 2010, by John Hill, The Journal


THORN Lighting has revealed plans to shift its UK headquarters to County Durham from Hertfordshire by the end of the year.

The company has invested £32m in a factory, lighting academy and research centre in Spennymoor which opened early this year.

Thorn has had a factory in the town since it opened for business in 1952, but it handled administrative work such as pre and post-order functions in its site in Borehamwood.

It announced yesterday that it planned to close the Borehamwood site, and that 32 roles would be transferring to Spennymoor while 11 marketing positions would shift to its studio in London.

Two project management positions will move to the parent offices in Hayes, Middlesex. Consultation has begun with the affected staff on whether they want to make the journey North.

UK and Ireland managing director Paul Coggins said: “The transfer of field marketing, project bid, quotation and technical support teams to our existing order processing and after-sales offices will create one point of contact for our customers.

“Having these functions in one location alongside design, production and training will vastly improve sales support, internal communications and decision making.

“Clearly we recognise the transfer to Spennymoor involves personal and professional decisions for the people affected, we will be supporting them with guidance and assistance so they can make well-informed judgements concerning their futures.”

Thorn manufactures light fittings for the professional lighting market and is owned by Austria’s Zumtobel Group. It described its recent investment in Spennymoor as the “largest investment in lighting since World War Two”, and recently invested £1.2m on a new production line in the facility to help manufacture its most popular products.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/13/thorn-lighting-plans-to-light-up-region-51140-27458290/

^^^^


Thorn are investing a large amount up here, ---lets hope there will be many more jobs created in the future.

Thorn Lighting plans to light up region
October 13th 2010, by John Hill, The Journal


THORN Lighting has revealed plans to shift its UK headquarters to County Durham from Hertfordshire by the end of the year.

The company has invested £32m in a factory, lighting academy and research centre in Spennymoor which opened early this year.

Thorn has had a factory in the town since it opened for business in 1952, but it handled administrative work such as pre and post-order functions in its site in Borehamwood.

It announced yesterday that it planned to close the Borehamwood site, and that 32 roles would be transferring to Spennymoor while 11 marketing positions would shift to its studio in London.

Two project management positions will move to the parent offices in Hayes, Middlesex. Consultation has begun with the affected staff on whether they want to make the journey North.

UK and Ireland managing director Paul Coggins said: “The transfer of field marketing, project bid, quotation and technical support teams to our existing order processing and after-sales offices will create one point of contact for our customers.

“Having these functions in one location alongside design, production and training will vastly improve sales support, internal communications and decision making.

“Clearly we recognise the transfer to Spennymoor involves personal and professional decisions for the people affected, we will be supporting them with guidance and assistance so they can make well-informed judgements concerning their futures.”

Thorn manufactures light fittings for the professional lighting market and is owned by Austria’s Zumtobel Group. It described its recent investment in Spennymoor as the “largest investment in lighting since World War Two”, and recently invested £1.2m on a new production line in the facility to help manufacture its most popular products.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/13/thorn-lighting-plans-to-light-up-region-51140-27458290/
I wonder if they'll be taking a location in the new Durham Gate development or whether they'll be utilising space on the existing site. It would be exciting if they do indeed plan to take over one of the Durham Gate blocks.

^^ Looking g o o d, JS ^^

:cheers:

Hundreds of North jobs to go in bonfire of quangos
October 15th 2010, by William Green, The Journal


HUNDREDS of jobs are set to go in our region, after the Government unveiled a “bonfire of the quangos” yesterday.

Cabinet Minister Francis Maude confirmed that . . .

1 - Regional Development Agency One North East, which has more than 300 staff based mainly in its Newcastle head office – will be scrapped.

2 - The Audit Commission will be scrapped, with 37 staff at its office in Gateshead. A further six are based in organisations they are auditing in Newcastle.

Other bodies will have to become “more efficient”.

3 - The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) that has 110 workers based in Gateshead.

4 - Natural England has around 150 staff at its office in Newcastle.

5 - A shadow has also been cast over the National Policing Improvement Agency’s (NPIA) forensics centre at Harperley Hall, Crook, in County Durham. Some 60 people work at the site, which was only formally opened last year.

6 - The future of the Student Loans Company, which has an office in Darlington, is also under consideration.

7 - As is the Remploy organisation that helps disabled people into work.

Lord Jeremy Beecham, former Labour leader of Newcastle city council, accused the Government of being in a “ridiculous” rush without considering the results of its actions. “The agenda here, as it is always, is cutting and dealing with the consequences after and those will be bad in terms of jobs and services,” he said.

In all, the total number of quangos will be cut from 901 to 648, with the future of 40 bodies still under consideration.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/10/15/hundreds-of-north-jobs-to-go-in-bonfire-of-quangos-61634-27475532/#ixzz12Pl37UyL

Durham left off City of Culture 2013 shortlist
October 16th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/mar2010/5/5/durham-city-of-culture-442999548.jpg

It was the culture bid which should have brought in £30m and created more than 3,000 jobs.

But despite experts advising judges to shortlist Durham’s bid to be the 2013 UK City of Culture it never made it to the final shortlist.

Documents released to The Journal show regeneration experts who assessed individual bids recommended that Durham should have been shortlisted.

But instead Derry/Londonderry, Norwich, Birmingham and Sheffield were shortlisted with the prize eventually going to the Northern Irish city.

The bid team – which included tourism bosses, Durham County Council and Durham Cathedral and University – was told there was a feeling among the judges that the city did not have the right venues, hotels and infrastructure for the bid to be successful.

And there were also concerns “over the limited involvement of contemporary/populist culture, which may restrict the appeal to certain audiences”.

But despite this, experts at regeneris consulting told judges Durham had a “strong and relatively safe bid in terms of the area having a high quality programme that is fairly well developed”.

Part of that bid included a chance for the region to once again see the Lindisfarne Gospels, set to return to Durham for a limited loan in 2013.

Last night Phil Redmond, chair of the Independent Advisory Panel which ruled out Durham’s bid, agreed the partnership had made a strong case.

But he added: “When making the difficult decision about which cities to shortlist, as well as looking at the advice of the external consultants, the Independent Advisory Panel also considered other factors. Most importantly the key criteria of the expected step-change that winning the title could bring about. Unfortunately on this point, Durham’s case was not as compelling as others.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news//tm_headline=durham-left-off-city-of-culture-2013-shortlist%26method=full%26objectid=27482237%26siteid=61634-name_page.html#ixzz12WSFXRPb

^^^^


I thought Durham was nailed on to be short listed, ---probably some of the experts were too, ----but hey, ---nothing surprises me anymore, --especially when it involves the NE.

Nissan placed at the heart of city blueprint
October 19th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


PROMISES to change the face of Sunderland have been made as city leaders set out 15 years of investment.

A direct Metro service from Sunderland to Newcastle and the airport, a city centre extending to the riverside and a Masters course in low carbon vehicles are all in the city’s economic vision.

At a launch event at the Stadium of Light yesterday council leader Paul Watson set out how he intends to build up the city despite preparing for a wave of cuts set to hit the North East from this week onwards.

His chief executive Dave Smith admitted the council had already seen projects worth hundreds of millions of pounds frozen and would be unlikely to see these all return fully funded once the Chancellor has announced the results of his comprehensive spending review tomorrow.

Insisting that the economic master plan was robust and based on a cycle which will include “many spending reviews and at least 15 budgets”, Mr Watson set out a plan he hopes will grow jobs in a city which some experts claim had become too dependent upon call centres.

In part the plan involves finalising what is already happening. Responsibility for delivering on the long-running Vaux development, set to create 3,000 jobs, will now be led by the council as regeneration agency Sunderland Arc is closed down.

Mr Watson said: “We know we will be affected by the comprehensive spending review but this plan is robust and flexible and because of the time involved it transcends the problem of the review.”

He added: “We have been successful in building on what this city has, and this is a way of taking that forward again.”

Nissan and the electric car industry plays a substantial part in the city’s future, following on from the decision by the previous Government to make Wearside the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area.

It is thought more electric car part suppliers and manufacturers could be encouraged to set up alongside Nissan.

The car producer will also benefit from a promise to try to reopen the unused Leamside railway line linking Nissan to the Port of Tyne.

Making more of Nissan, the city’s university, its port and its development sites, form the key aims behind the plan.

That includes a £10m office block to help set up new businesses at Tavistock Place, near Mowbray Park.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/10/19/nissan-placed-at-the-heart-of-city-blueprint-61634-27497616/#ixzz12nO31NiG

^^^^


This Economic Master plan should give some great opportunities to business and Industries, such as --Low Carbon Cars and the offshore Wind Farm industries, --also the Software Technologies, ----can only be good news.

^^^^

A bit more on this, ----this from the Echo, --




Mapping out Sunderland’s future
Sunderland City Council Leader Paul Watson (right) and chief executive Dave Smith, left, at the citys riverside before the launch of Sunderlands Economic Masterplan.

Published on Tue Oct 19 12:58:58 BST 2010


SUNDERLAND has been told what it should expect over the next 15 years.


And Sunderland City Council chief executive Dave Smith said that the city would be clear in how it moves forward as its new economic masterplan was unveiled.

A packed meeting at the Stadium of Light yesterday heard the plan has been drawn up to guide the city’s economic development by developing existing skills and advantages and developing new ones.

City leaders said they wanted to increase the role of the university and to build on the success of Nissan and encourage development of a low-carbon economy. They say they want to increase business in the city centre.

Businesses welcomed the plan.

Chief executive Dr Smith said: “People should care about this because it is a statement about their future. It is a statement about how we believe we can make Sunderland’s economy work in their interest, as employers, as employees and as consumers, by being clear about what Sunderland has to offer to businesses and investors and what it needs in terms of skills.

“Because the clearer we are about those things, the more confidence there will be among businesses currently in and proposing to come to the city.”

Vince Taylor, the city’s head of strategic economic development said the plan was ambitious, but it was far from pie-in-the-sky.

He said: “The recession had already begun when we started drawing this up and the financial crisis had happened, so it is very much grounded in reality.

“We knew the markets were flat, we knew there would be a public sector ‘recession’ that would follow and so demand across the North East was going to remain flat for a number of years and so we had to prepare a plan that copes with that environment.”

City council leader Coun Paul Watson said it was a very important day for Sunderland. The masterplan provided a roadmap for the city’s economy that could change as and when it needed to, he said.

“The plan needs to be robust and flexible enough to cope with Comprehensive Spending Reviews every time they turn up.”

Tony Morrissey, leader of Sunderland’s Conservatives, added: “It’s an excellent document which details where we are and where we could realistically go. Hopefully the fact that we (the Conservatives) are supporting it will show people that there is a real commitment and ambition in the city.”

Andy McKenzie runs men’s clothing store Aphrodite in Vine Place with brother Duncan and said the plan was definitely a step in the right direction.

He said: “I think the trouble with Sunderland is that we still have a town mentality sometimes. We need to start believing in what we have here. Places like Doxford and Rainton Bridge are great, but people drive in and they drive out. They don’t spend anything in Sunderland.

“If people are working in the city centre, you get them buying their paper on the way in, they go out at lunchtime and browse the shops, then they might stop off for a meal or a drink on their way home.

“Whether it is 10p or £10, it is all going back into the city economy.”

For more information log on to www.sunderland.gov.uk/economicmasterplan

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55,000 jobs at risk as Chancellor announces cuts
October 21st 2010, by William Green, The Journal


MASS redundancies and “savage” cuts to services will hit the North East in the wake of the Government’s spending review, it was claimed last night.

Labour MPs predicted tens of thousands of public sector workers would lose their jobs after Chancellor George Osborne confirmed 490,000 posts – including redundancies – would disappear nationwide after unveiling cuts totalling £81bn over four years.

The impact will be felt across the region, with accountancy firm KPMG, which handles many council contracts in the North East, warning of 55,900 job losses over the next four years.

Police forces have already started preparing for job losses, with Durham Police last night revealing at least 140 posts are to go.

Culture cuts means the Arts Council North East will have to meet to find savings of almost 30%. The Baltic in Gateshead and Alnwick Playhouse in Northumberland are likely contenders for a reduction in funding.

And scientists from Newcastle’s world leading ageing research institute warned Tyneside jobs will go and the UK will lose out as science funding is frozen – a cut in real terms.

Charities in the region face a difficult future as an estimated £82m is wiped off the sector.

Mr Osborne also slashed the welfare budget by £7bn – on top of £11bn already announced – as part of what he said was a “tough but fair” settlement designed to pull the country back from the “brink of bankruptcy”.

Ministers did not deny to The Journal that tens of thousands of public sector jobs would go in the North East - sparking warnings about wider economic impacts.

Councils also face an eye-watering 28% cut to their budgets over the next four years. Former Newcastle council leader John Shipley said it would be “difficult” to avoid cuts to services, whilst KPMG warned some councils could run out of money.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news//tm_headline=55-000-jobs-at-risk-as-chancellor-announces-cuts%26method=full%26objectid=27515487%26siteid=61634-name_page.html#ixzz12yfLzYRk

^^^^


Yes, --even though most people were expecting many job losses, --this is very bad news, ----I really feel for people who will lose their jobs, --especially those with families, ---can only wish everyone good luck.

Sunderland city council will be taking a big hit.

Sunderland city council will be taking a big hit.


Aye, ---could be a few thousand, --:ohno:

Aye, ---could be a few thousand, --:ohno:

Tough times ahead for the city of Sunderland. :moods:

It’s time for region to stand united
October 25th 2010, by Adam Jupp, The Journal


NORTH EAST Labour MPs and trade union leaders have formed a united front to campaign for the region.

They are calling for the formation of a single development body covering the entire region as opposed to a series of smaller organisations.

Downing Street is also being urged to appoint a Minister for the North East, which has not yet been done by the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

The Northern group of Labour MPs held a meeting with the TUC and other unions, including Unison, the Prison Officers’ Association, the GMB and teaching bodies, during which their “common view” was formed.

It was chaired by Nick Brown, the previous Government’s regional minister, and attended by members from all areas of the region, who unanimously agreed a strategy to lobby for the formation of one local enterprise body covering Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Teesside. They want such a body to replace regeneration agency One North East.

The new coalition administration announced it was scrapping regional development agencies (RDAs) like One North East and planned to replace them with smaller local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).

But the region’s MPs say the only way for the North East to compete properly for inward investment and its share of Government grants is by having a unified voice.

The bid for one LEP covering the whole region contrasts with the stance adopted this week by council leaders to bid for one for Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear, with a separate organisation for Teesside.

Mr Brown said that he and his colleagues will now seek meetings with Business Secretary Vince Cable and Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles to put forward their case. He said: “We came to a common view that we want to retain elements of One North East and Government Office North East and retain a regional minister or someone with a role of speaking up for the North East with a single voice.

“We are saying there should be a single organisation with a single voice – with Teesside included in it – and that the One North East structure should be retained as much as possible, including the private sector as it currently does.

“We accept that in the current climate such an organisation needs to be scaled down, but it was the unanimous view of all those present that we should all be standing up for each other.”


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news//tm_headline=it-8217-s-time-for-region-to-stand-united%26method=full%26objectid=27538380%26siteid=61634-name_page.html#ixzz13M1Elykz

^^^^

It would be great if they can get this, ---and what a massive boost for the area, --fingers crossed for this.

IT looks promising doesn't it? But still, I'll believe it when I see it.

Yep looks promising, but like others will wait till it's actually under way :)

Think we all knew this would be the case, ---this from the Echo, --



North is worst off after cuts
Published on Wed Oct 27 02:40:23 BST 2010


SPENDING cuts will increase the North-South divide, a think tank warned today.


The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), has urged the Coalition Government to “radically devolve power and allow the northern regions to forge their own economic future.”

In a study it claimed the North East would lose 4.1 per cent of its jobs, compared to 3.1 per cent in London and the South East – and pointed to capital projects such as Crossrail and the Tube upgrade as possible reasons.

IPPR North director Ed Cox said: “With so many people employed in the public sector, or in businesses reliant on public funding, plus a bigger proportion of people already out of work, the North is undoubtedly in for a tough time over the next few years.”


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This from the Echo, ---



Wind farm plea for firms
Published on Wed Oct 27 14:30:46 BST 2010


WEARSIDE is at risk of losing jobs in offshore wind industries to other cities and countries, says an industry expert.


Sunderland man Mick Thurlbeck, chief executive of Tees Valley Engineering Partnership, said there was huge potential for Wearside to grab a big slice of the new offshore wind-farm business in everything from engineering to IT.

Mr Thurlbeck, former chairman of the Sunderland committee of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), said Wearside had a massive amount to offer the renewable energy industry, but it must do a better job of marketing itself.

Offshore wind is already part of Sunderland’s Economic Masterplan, launched this month, and Sunderland City Council says it is working to look at opportunities for renewable energy and low-carbon technologies.

But Mr Thurlbeck said Sunderland needed more focus on offshore wind to sell its opportunities in the same way it did for call-centre sites at Doxford Park. He also called for a wind-farm tsar to champion Sunderland’s offer.

“We’ve got to make a go of it. We need to do it for the people of Sunderland, especially in these times,” he said.

The businessman, who worked offshore for four decades, said countries such as Germany, France and Denmark were all working on similar renewable energy projects and, as in the past with offshore oil drilling, could bid for contracts in British waters.

“This time Europe will probably be at capacity,” said Mr Thurlbeck. “If it isn’t done in Europe, then it will go to our friends on the other side of the world. I saw it happen with shipbuilding and I don’t want to see offshore wind go that way.”

The Government announced £60million of funding yesterday to “establish world-class offshore wind manufacturing” at port sites.

Mr Thurlbeck said Sunderland did not have the land to take on large-scale manufacturing of the giant turbines, but there were many possibilities for making components – including manufacturing and galvanising even small brackets for the columns.

He added: “The biggest thing is the 24-hour access to the port – so service and maintenance fleet vessels could come and go as they please. Effectively. Sunderland has the only eastbound port in the country of a decent size (that offers that).”

Mr Thurlbeck said there was also scope to build a station for the power coming ashore at Hendon, Ryhope or elsewhere on the Wearside coast.

He also thinks there is scope for Sunderland’s budding software industry to provide solutions for remotely collecting information from the wind farms and activating and de-activating them according to weather conditions.

He said many Sunderland workers had experience working offshore which could be put to use in the new industry.

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This from the Echo, ---



Wind farm plea for firms
Published on Wed Oct 27 14:30:46 BST 2010


WEARSIDE is at risk of losing jobs in offshore wind industries to other cities and countries, says an industry expert.


Sunderland man Mick Thurlbeck, chief executive of Tees Valley Engineering Partnership, said there was huge potential for Wearside to grab a big slice of the new offshore wind-farm business in everything from engineering to IT.

Mr Thurlbeck, former chairman of the Sunderland committee of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), said Wearside had a massive amount to offer the renewable energy industry, but it must do a better job of marketing itself.

Offshore wind is already part of Sunderland’s Economic Masterplan, launched this month, and Sunderland City Council says it is working to look at opportunities for renewable energy and low-carbon technologies.

But Mr Thurlbeck said Sunderland needed more focus on offshore wind to sell its opportunities in the same way it did for call-centre sites at Doxford Park. He also called for a wind-farm tsar to champion Sunderland’s offer.

“We’ve got to make a go of it. We need to do it for the people of Sunderland, especially in these times,” he said.

The businessman, who worked offshore for four decades, said countries such as Germany, France and Denmark were all working on similar renewable energy projects and, as in the past with offshore oil drilling, could bid for contracts in British waters.

“This time Europe will probably be at capacity,” said Mr Thurlbeck. “If it isn’t done in Europe, then it will go to our friends on the other side of the world. I saw it happen with shipbuilding and I don’t want to see offshore wind go that way.”

The Government announced £60million of funding yesterday to “establish world-class offshore wind manufacturing” at port sites.

Mr Thurlbeck said Sunderland did not have the land to take on large-scale manufacturing of the giant turbines, but there were many possibilities for making components – including manufacturing and galvanising even small brackets for the columns.

He added: “The biggest thing is the 24-hour access to the port – so service and maintenance fleet vessels could come and go as they please. Effectively. Sunderland has the only eastbound port in the country of a decent size (that offers that).”

Mr Thurlbeck said there was also scope to build a station for the power coming ashore at Hendon, Ryhope or elsewhere on the Wearside coast.

He also thinks there is scope for Sunderland’s budding software industry to provide solutions for remotely collecting information from the wind farms and activating and de-activating them according to weather conditions.

He said many Sunderland workers had experience working offshore which could be put to use in the new industry.

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Totally agree with this.

The Port would be an ideal place for on-shore wind turbines, as well as manufacturing facilities for offshore wind turbines. It has swathes of unused land and easy access to wind and wave energy.

I think the first step is to commission a masterplan for how the entire port area could be best utilised for such activity.

The masterplan could designate spatial land use for on-shore wind turbines, off-shore manufacturing facilities, water-based quay access points, a degree of ancillary office-based research and design facilities and the key land-based transport infrastructure required to make it happen. This would give confidence to prospective financiers of such facilities and encourage the government to invest in it.

If done properly, this could mean a real modern rebirth of industry on Wearside, using fantastic existing assets and creating lots of green-collar jobs in addition to those at Nissan. But as the bloke in the article states, its needs a 'Czar' to champion it and to get the leg work, such as the feasibility study/masterplan done to sell the vision.

If I had the money I would commission the masterplan myself, that area has got so much potential. I managed to have a look inside the docks/port site through an 'open' gate recently and it is an amazing, and very hidden, asset to the city. There is still a huge amount of rail infrastructure, so much unused brownfield land so much marine infrastructure that is so underused.

If we could get manufacturing, power generation and ancillary research in this area, with office based industries along the inland banks of the Wear, our city could really boom.

Lets get it done.

Think we all knew this would be the case, ---this from the Echo, --



North is worst off after cuts
Published on Wed Oct 27 02:40:23 BST 2010


SPENDING cuts will increase the North-South divide, a think tank warned today.


The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), has urged the Coalition Government to “radically devolve power and allow the northern regions to forge their own economic future.”

In a study it claimed the North East would lose 4.1 per cent of its jobs, compared to 3.1 per cent in London and the South East – and pointed to capital projects such as Crossrail and the Tube upgrade as possible reasons.

IPPR North director Ed Cox said: “With so many people employed in the public sector, or in businesses reliant on public funding, plus a bigger proportion of people already out of work, the North is undoubtedly in for a tough time over the next few years.”


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Well it's not surprising as you say. The North East always seems worst effected :ohno:

Totally agree with this.

The Port would be an ideal place for on-shore wind turbines, as well as manufacturing facilities for offshore wind turbines. It has swathes of unused land and easy access to wind and wave energy.

I think the first step is to commission a masterplan for how the entire port area could be best utilised for such activity.

The masterplan could designate spatial land use for on-shore wind turbines, off-shore manufacturing facilities, water-based quay access points, a degree of ancillary office-based research and design facilities and the key land-based transport infrastructure required to make it happen. This would give confidence to prospective financiers of such facilities and encourage the government to invest in it.

If done properly, this could mean a real modern rebirth of industry on Wearside, using fantastic existing assets and creating lots of green-collar jobs in addition to those at Nissan. But as the bloke in the article states, its needs a 'Czar' to champion it and to get the leg work, such as the feasibility study/masterplan done to sell the vision.

If I had the money I would commission the masterplan myself, that area has got so much potential. I managed to have a look inside the docks/port site through an 'open' gate recently and it is an amazing, and very hidden, asset to the city. There is still a huge amount of rail infrastructure, so much unused brownfield land so much marine infrastructure that is so underused.

If we could get manufacturing, power generation and ancillary research in this area, with office based industries along the inland banks of the Wear, our city could really boom.

Lets get it done.


Yes I agree YM, ---this is a great opportunity which could be of huge benefit for Sunderland, --as you say, --the Port and East End Docks are a huge asset to the City, --lets hope something can happen.

.
When the 'smooth speaking' Cameron talks, he often sounds quite believable. WELL . . .

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/nov2010/4/4/david-cameron-619731477.jpg

Dismay as North East business funds are closed off
November 2nd 2010, by William Green, The Journal


BUSINESS growth in the North East suffered a double blow yesterday when ministers snatched away critical funding lifelines.

On the day that Prime Minister David Cameron said his Government would do more to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), it emerged that a fund helping those firms has been quietly axed.

The Grant for Business Investment has provided more than £50m to help North East firms grow in the last two years alone, helping create nearly 8,000 jobs.

Under the scheme, businesses received around 10-15% of a project’s capital cost but – crucially – the minimum threshold for applications was just £10,000.

And in a further blow, a minimum £1m bid level has been placed on organisations wanting to apply for money from the Government’s £1.4bn regional growth fund – sparking fears that will be out of SMEs’ reach.

That is despite the Government yesterday holding a summit with small business in London yesterday in recognition that SMEs are at the heart of the economy, providing 60% of jobs and half of national income.

During the event, Business Secretary Vince Cable came under pressure to ensure small firms had access to the regional growth fund.

But he said: “There is a threshold of £1m, so it is for packages over £1m, and individually small companies are unlikely to bid for it on that basis.”


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/11/02/dismay-as-north-east-business-funds-are-closed-off-51140-27583724/

^^^^

Just seems one blow after another, ---we all know this Government wants to save money, ---but in this case --the funding has been helping to create many thousands of jobs, ---it's a similar situation as the ONE, --they have been helping to create jobs,--- what next,:ohno: --------but like the saying goes, ---if it ain't broke, --don't fix it

One NorthEast chief hits out at the RDAs abolition
November 12th 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/jun2010/3/5/dynamic-paul-callaghan-of-the-leighton-group-129988597.jpg

MORE than £340m will be wiped off the North East economy just to please the South East, regeneration chiefs have claimed.

Paul Callaghan, chairman of development agency One North East, said the decision to abolish the quango responsible for thousands of jobs was taken with no consideration of its impact in the region.

In an outspoken speech to business leaders and council bosses, the head of the Leighton technology group said he was dismayed by the way the coalition Government had made its decision to scrap the agency by 2012.

“Obviously after all that has been achieved over the last 10 years and everything that still needs to be done over the next 10 we were deeply disappointed that the decision was taken in London to abolish the RDA.

“I think it was a decision that was more about the politics of the South East than the economics of the North East,” Mr Callaghan said.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/11/12/one-north-east-chief-hits-out-at-quango-abolishment-61634-27644467/#ixzz153eYbKEw

We know abolishing ONE, ----is about saving money, -- but this Agency has created thousands of jobs, ---if it ain't broken and all that.:ohno:

Vince Cable on the axing of One NorthEast
November 13th 2010, by William Green, The Journal

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:adVo3onRwlRLjM%3Ahttp://www.designcouncil.org.uk/DCImages/Directory%2520Listings/Useful%2520Organisations/MNO/One%2520North%2520East/One_Northeast_Sml.jpg

BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable has admitted the axing of regional development agencies has been “Maoist” and “chaotic”.

The Business Secretary hit out at the way the Coalition, of which he is a major figure, has handled the abolition of the development agencies (RDAs).

Labour MPs last night seized on his words, saying it was a “damning” indictment of the Government’s failure to boost regional growth.

Shadow Business Secretary John Denham said: “It is becoming impossible to find anyone who will say a good word about the Government’s so called plan for regional growth, even their own ministers.

“While Vince Cable shows some honesty at the mess he is overseeing, this is little comfort for businesses which are experiencing uncertainty and chaos.

“Far from supporting growth, the government is harming the prospects of job creation and economic development – it is a damning failure.”

He also claimed Mr Cable and Tory Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles were at war over local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), which are replacing regional development agencies. In the North East, ministers have only approved a LEP for Teesside so far.

In the Commons, Gateshead MP Ian Mearns said development agency One North East had helped secure a “major turnaround” in the region’s economic fortunes – with rates of economic growth outstripping that of London and the South East.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/11/13/vince-cable-on-the-axing-of-one-north-east-61634-27650893/#ixzz159Zc1Oe1

This from the Echo, ---



Business secretary Cable’s boost to Sunderland’s Nissan plant
Published on Fri Nov 19 10:11:22 GMT 2010


BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable has promised to work closely with Nissan.


The news came after concerns were raised in the House of Commons after it was announced that the Government was to scrap its Grant for Business Investment.

Shadow Business Secretary John Denham raised the firm’s concerns yesterday.

He said: “Isn’t Nissan right to say the UK has a clear choice of whether it chooses to fight for new business, new jobs and rebalance the economy or allow the opportunity of this business to go elsewhere?”

And his comment was echoed by MP Bridget Phillipson, who challenged the Government during business department questions: “Nissan is an important local employer in Sunderland and it rightly said that relatively modest government investment can rebalance the economy, crucial in regions like the North East.

“As Nissan has said, if the Government doesn’t fight for new business, it will simply go elsewhere.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable replied: “They make a valuable contribution to the UK economy and the North East. We will maintain close relations with them.”

People are predicting a big future for the Electric Car, ------this from the Echo, ---



Sunderland drivers can turn over a new Leaf
The Nissan Leaf

Published on Fri Nov 19 12:00:21 GMT 2010


THE MOVE to green motoring across the North East is as big a revolution as the birth of the motor car.


That’s the claim from One NorthEast manufacturing and productivity manager Colin Herron.

Dr Herron was speaking at the launch of the Switch EV pilot scheme yesterday, which will see 35 electric vehicles loaned out to individuals, businesses and other organisations across the region during the next two years.

The feedback on driving and recharging patterns, vehicle range and efficiency will provide critical input that will shape the way electric vehicles are viewed across the world.

For Colin, it is a proud moment for the region, with vehicles provided by Nissan, its fellow North East car manufacturers Avid and Liberty, and Washington-based truck and bus builder Smith Electric Vehicles.

“The best thing about this is we are now going to get the public into the cars,” he said.

“And these are all our cars – they are North East-made.

“We are going to get local people into local cars in what is probably the most advanced infrastructure in regard to the availability of charging posts.

“We will be able to see how people drive, how they use the vehicles and from that, we can modify the infrastructure and the vehicles to suit the needs of the public.

“Quite clearly, this is one big experiment – no-one has done this since Henry Ford introduced the petrol engine.

“There were no roads, there were no petrol stations. Nobody knew how people would take to the petrol engine and this is as big a change as that.”

Sophisticated IT systems will allow electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf to communicate with the charging infrastructure – even down to being able to locate vacant charging points on Sat-Nav – and the information will be used to improve the system.

“We know how every charging point is being used and which ones are not being used,” said Colin. “If there is one that never gets used, we will take it out and put it somewhere else.”

Nissan employee Colin McVay has been driving a Leaf for the past week as part of Switch EV and is enjoying the experience.

“How you drive it is certainly different to a petrol or diesel car,” he said, “but from a performance point of view, the car is superb.

“You have got the power but you tend not to use it so much because the quietness and smoothness of the ride is so enjoyable. You actually tend to drive it in a smoother way which also gives you a benefit in terms of

The Transport secretaries criteria for approving funds:

1. Will it benefit the south east in any way?

Yes. Approved.
No. Get stuffed.

The Transport secretaries criteria for approving funds:

1. Will it benefit the south east in any way?

Yes. Approved.
No. Get stuffed.

Spot on.

It's no coincidence that a large chunk of the £8billion promised for rail infrastructure is for Crossrail and Thameslink, creating stimuli for commercial investment around new transport hubs in the south east.

Why can't the government see that if you invest in proper rail infrastructure in the regions, the private sector will then invest in the regions.

Spot on.

It's no coincidence that a large chunk of the £8billion promised for rail infrastructure is for Crossrail and Thameslink, creating stimuli for commercial investment around new transport hubs in the south east.

Why can't the government see that if you invest in proper rail infrastructure in the regions, the private sector will then invest in the regions.


The North East will be fighting for scraps from this Government, ---I won't be holding my breath about this or any other investments, ---but I suppose we all live in hope.

Vital North East Economic Partnership gets the go-ahead
November 30th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/nov2010/7/5/an-artist-s-impression-of-what-a-conference-centre-in-gateshead-would-be-like-127096219.jpg

A NORTH EAST voice has been secured with the creation of a vital economic partnership which will pull together multi-million pound bids for jobs cash for the region. Business and council leaders have met a senior official from Department for Business to go over the formal structure of a North East Economic Partnership.

The body will be business-led and initially tasked with overseeing efforts to secure investment from the Government’s £1.4bn regional growth fund. Already there are several bids being prepared to secure a slice of this funding for the North East.

They include hopes of securing tourist promotion cash, money for the Science Central building in Newcastle, a conference centre for Gateshead, wind turbine manufacturing help along the banks of the River Tyne, and the possibility of improvements on the A19.

How much power and influence the Partnership will have remains to be seen, with the Department for Business last night insisting that, while they welcome its creation they have no plans to pass on control over inward investment or regeneration cash. The partnership will be chaired initially by John Cuthbert, the retired managing director of Northumbrian Water.

He will ensure the body is up and running in time to back the first round of growth fund bids due to be submitted by January 22. Mr Cuthbert told The Journal he is eager to get the Partnership off the ground. He said: The message is - we are looking forward here.

Mr Cuthbert and other council leaders met with the Department for Business’s director of economic development yesterday to go over the finer details.

The North East Economic Partnership has had its name registered since early this month and has received written backing from the Government.

Mr Cuthbert added: “At the moment we are in final discussions to put in place interim or shadow arrangements so we have a vehicle to have a dialogue with Government. “We are still talking to them about, for example, regional assets and it is clear that they are still looking at this issue in several Government departments. There is still an awful lot to play for.

Speaking before the announcement, Lord Falconer, chair of the Newcastle and Gateshead city development company 1NG, said his organisation would be working with “multi-national corporations and hotel complexes” as it builds support for “a new international conference and exhibition centre and the 24-acre city centre site, Science Central”.

He added: “Both projects have the potential to stimulate significant private sector growth here.”

The proposed partnership will be dependent upon council-based Local Enterprise Partnerships for its powers. There had originally been hopes the partnership could have powers over spending European regeneration cash.

“As yet this has not happened, meaning the body will be more a co-ordinating agency.”


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/11/30/vital-economic-partnership-gets-go-ahead-61634-27740549/2/#ixzz16l2ls7NG

^^^^

We need some kind of partnership for the North East, ----suppose we have to hope this will work, ---but personally, I'm still vext about ONE being scrapped though, ---if it ain't broke and all that.

More good news from Nissan, ---plus more jobs, ---this from the Sunderland Echo, ---



Leaf powers to top European car title
Senior Vice President Trevor Mann shows the interior of the new Nissan Leaf

Published on Tue Nov 30 12:05:02 GMT 2010


NISSAN’S new car is just electric – after being voted the European Car of the Year.


 Staff at the firm’s Wearside plant are celebrating after the Leaf – the world’s first affordable, 100 per cent electric-powered family car – won the 2011 honour.

 It is the first time in the 47-year history of the annual competition that the award has gone to an electric vehicle.

 Leaf goes on sale in the UK early next year and Nissan’s Sunderland plant will begin producing the car in 2013.

 The car beat off competition from brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Dacia, Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and Volvo to win the backing of the jury, which included 57 leading motoring journalists from 23 European countries.

 Asked whether he was surprised by the historic win, Sunderland plant boss Trevor Mann said: “In some respects, yes; in others, no

 “It is the first really innovative model to have entered the Car of the Year for a number of years,” he said.

 “This is quite a revolutionary and innovative change.

 “The fact that it is the first mass-market, 100 per cent electric vehicle is what, I think, has made the difference.”

 The award would help to reassure people who might have been in two minds about buying an electric car, said Mr Mann.

 “Some people seem to be apprehensive about the technology,” he said.

“The fact is, the journalists are not commenting about the technology, they are commenting on the fact it operates as a normal vehicle.”

In 1993, Nissan’s Sunderland-built Micra became the first Japanese car to be crowned Car of the Year.

 As well as building the Leaf at its Sunderland plant, Nissan will also produce the batteries that will power its electric cars at a new plant on Wearside.

 “Everything is going extremely well,” said Mr Mann.

 “The battery plant started construction on schedule and, as those people who drive past on the A19 can see, the building is complete from a shell point of view.

 “We are going to start installing all the equipment as planned.”

 Commenting on yesterday’s announcement, Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said: “This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan Leaf as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling.

 “It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility

North councils suffer in cuts, but it could have been worse
Richard Moss | 11:37 UK time, Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Eric Pickles announces the details of council cuts but includes extra help for the worst-hit.
Our councils have discovered then just how much they'll have to cut in the next two years.

Many are now facing tough choices and difficult discussions. Hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts will have to be found in the next two years.

But although it won't be much compensation, the cuts could have been even worse for some of our councils.

The Communities Secretary Eric Pickles announced that no council would face a reduction of more than 8.9% in their spending power.

To do that he's had to give transitional grants to some of our local authorities that would have faced even higher cuts.

South Tyneside, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Copeland and Barrow all face the maximum 8.9% reduction. (Sunderland also comes close to hitting the maximum with a reduction of 8.88%


Read more

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/richardmoss/2010/12/north_councils_suffer_in_cuts.html

As well as building the Leaf at its Sunderland plant, Nissan will also produce the batteries that will power its electric cars at a new plant on Wearside.

 “Everything is going extremely well,” said Mr Mann.

 “The battery plant started construction on schedule and, as those people who drive past on the A19 can see, the building is complete from a shell point of view.

 “We are going to start installing all the equipment as planned.”


Where exactly is the battery plant? Is it part of the existing Nissan complex?

Where exactly is the battery plant? Is it part of the existing Nissan complex?



As far as I know, -- the new Battery Plant is being built on land at the Nissan site marra, -----and I think the Batteries are due to come on line in 2012, ---and there will be about 350 new jobs created.

Fire HQ shuts before it has chance to open
December 21st 2010, by William Green, The Journal


A CONTROVERSIAL fire control centre for the whole of the North East region was axed yesterday after costs soared.

The new facility in Belmont, near Durham, was closed before Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and Cleveland fire brigades even had the chance to move in.

Part of the £423m national FiReControl scheme, critics had argued the streamlining of control rooms across the country had cost the taxpayer £1m a month even though the nine sites never went operational.

Union leaders estimate £1.3bn has been wasted on the project nationally since it was launched by the previous Labour government.

Coalition Fire Minister Bob Neill yesterday announced the whole FiReControl programme was being scrapped after an agreement had been reached with main contractor Cassidian (formerly EADS Defence & Security).

The minister refused to say how much taxpayers’ money the firm received. In a written ministerial statement to Parliament Mr Neill said the best outcome for the taxpayer as well as fire brigades was to terminate the contract immediately.

The Fire Brigades Union welcomed the decision as “long overdue” having long campaigned against the project and expressed hope that the future of staff in existing control rooms was now secure.

Following the announcement Mr Neill faced calls for money no longer being spent on the project to instead go towards existing control rooms.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/12/21/fire-hq-shuts-before-it-has-chance-to-open-61634-27859354/#ixzz18kZjodCt

I see DW Fitness have talen over the old Springs gym on Wessington Way next to the Old Orleans restaurant

I see DW Fitness have talen over the old Springs gym on Wessington Way next to the Old Orleans restaurant

Springs Gym, --- it's been closed for a long time, ---hope the new owners can make it a going concern, --good luck to them.

North East business leaders give their predictions for 2011
January 3rd 2011, by Iain Laing, The Journal


As the New Year dawns we asked leading figures in the North East business, farming and industrial world to outline their hopes, fears and predictions for 2011.

KEN McMEIKAN
Chief executive of Newcastle-based retail bakers Greggs, Prince of Wales Ambassador for the North East and chairman of CBI North East.

BILL MIDGLEY
A North East businessman who has held senior positions in businesses, including the Newcastle Building Society, and is a past president of the British Chambers of Commerce.

STOKER FRATER
The region’s council delegate to the National Farmers’ Union and farms near Alnwick in Northumberland.

KEVIN ROWAN
Regional secretary of Northern TUC.

MARTYN PELLEW
President of the North East Chamber of Commerce.

VINAY BEDI
Divisional director of investment manager Brewin Dolphin in Newcastle.

STEWART WATKINS
Managing director of County Durham Development Company (CDDC).

SARAH GREEN
Regional director of CBI North East.

KEITH HANN
Financial public relations specialist and Journal columnist who lives in Northumberland.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2011/01/03/north-east-business-leaders-give-their-predictions-for-2011-51140-27914189/

I see DW Fitness have talen over the old Springs gym on Wessington Way next to the Old Orleans restaurant

That's mixed news. It was earmarked for demolition for the new roads supplying the Pallion-Castletown bridge. I think we've known for a while that it was very unlikely to still go ahead though. Any news on what the building will become? Do DW operate gyms?

Very welcome news about Caterpillar at Peterlee, which is creating 100 much-needed manufacturing jobs: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/jobs_boost_for_wearside_firm_1_2901009

That's mixed news. It was earmarked for demolition for the new roads supplying the Pallion-Castletown bridge. I think we've known for a while that it was very unlikely to still go ahead though. Any news on what the building will become? Do DW operate gyms?


www.dwsportsfitness.com/locations/fitness-club.php?id=136

Prof's warning over switch to Local Enterprise Partnerships
January 6th 2011, by Mike Hughes, Evening Gazette


THE North East economy is in danger of grinding to a halt because of the loss of One North East and its replacement by Local Enterprise Partnerships.

In a report in the 2011 North East Business Guide, Prof John Tomaney, of Newcastle University says knowledge vital to the area’s economic progress is being dissipated by the way the Government is replacing ONE with local enterprise partnerships.

The North-east will be hard pressed to advance its economy at all once its regional development agency (RDA) is finally phased out, says Prof Tomaney, an expert on regional development.

In a blistering attack on the Government’s regional strategy – and the North-east’s response to it - he describes the dismantling of One North East as “retrograde.”

He says: “Many criticisms can be made of RDAs. I’ve made some myself. But on the whole this region has benefited from having a single agency capable of intervening in local and regional economic development.

“What’s replacing One North East is massive uncertainty - very unhelpful for the region. The way the agency is being run down and expertise and knowledge is being dissipated – as also the way we have failed to find a common response in the region - is deeply disappointing.”

Prof Tomaney says: “As the new partnerships for the region, one for Teesside and the other for elsewhere, will have little resource, and very little power in the foreseeable future, maybe not too much damage has been caused by the delays beforehand. But we have told a story for so long of our regional cohesiveness. There’s a danger we’ll fragment - punch below our weight. The case for some North-east wide economic partnership is still very compelling.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2011/01/06/prof-s-warning-over-switch-to-local-enterprise-partnerships-51140-27941633/

^^^^


I think a lot of people have been saying similar about this, --and will agree with the Professor, ---but we can only hope things don't get as bad as some forecasters predict.

This from the Sunderland Echo, ---




Merger saves jobs at Wearside firmBy James Johnston
Published on Mon Jan 10 13:30:30 GMT 2011


JOBS at an electric vehicle firm on Wearside have been safeguarded after a multimillion-pound merger.


Workers at Tanfield Group, based in Vigo Lane, Washington, have been hit with redundancies, a four-day week and financial cut-backs in recent years.

But now the company, which also makes powered access platforms, has now been bought for £9.74million by its partner, Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. (Sevus).

Today, its new American owners said the move would help secure the future of the 250-strong workforce.

Read more http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/business/latest-news/merger_saves_jobs_at_wearside_firm_1_2915869

www.dwsportsfitness.com/locations/fitness-club.php?id=136

Excellent, thanks for the link. Looks a bit like the inside of a dodgy swingers club (as observed in photographs).

Teesside LEP's warm welcome for Tyneside partner
by Mike Hughes, Evening Gazette Jan 14 2011


TEESSIDE’S Local Enterprise Partnership has given a warm welcome to its new partner in the North of the region.

Minister for Business, Mark Prisk and Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark yesterday gave official approval for a new Tyneside LEP covering the other seven local authority areas.

It joins Teesside and the 26 other partnerships announced since the Government’s Local Growth White Paper was published in October.

The long-awaited announcement means the entire North East region is now covered by two local enterprise partnerships, with work on the over-arching North East Economic Partnership well under way.

Stephen Catchpole, Managing Director of Tees Valley Unlimited, said: “I am delighted the Government has given the green light to the rest of the region’s LEP bid.

“From the outset we have been fully supportive of the bid, as well as the proposals to create a North East Economic Partnership.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2011/01/14/teesside-lep-s-warm-welcome-for-tyneside-partner-51140-27986061/

Anger over forced sell-off of key North East assets
by William Green, The Journal, January 18th 2011


MINISTERS in London want to begin selling valuable regional assets from April and could accelerate the closure of the North East’s development agency, The Journal can reveal.

Moves to sell up to £500m of assets held by regional development agencies (RDAs) – including One North East’s £150m property portfolio – are set to begin within three months. And RDAs could be shut down this year rather than 2012 as previously promised by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson accused ministers of operating a “scorched earth policy” that risked the region’s economic future.

Development chiefs have also warned of “major risks” in selling assets and bringing forward closure of RDAs.

It has left further questions marks over assets such as Newcastle Science Central development – already £38m short after One North East was forced to hold back any further cash help.

Labour MP Mr Wilson said: “These assets could have been developed with a sustainable approach that would have been developed by the RDAs.

“Fundamentally if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The approach is just a scorched earth policy.”

He added One North East had been the “main dynamo” in developing the regional economy by supporting businesses, helping the region export more than it imported.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/01/18/anger-over-forced-sell-off-of-key-north-east-assets-61634-28003525/#ixzz1BNRVxRT4

Record year for Sunderland Nissan plant
BBC News, 20 January 2011

The Nissan plant at Sunderland has had a record year, accounting for more than one in three of all passenger cars produced in the UK in 2010.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that it manufactured 423,262 units in 2010, of which 81% were exported.

This beats the previous record of 386,555 in 2008.

Read More (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-12238174)

^^^^


Yeah, ---it's pretty good going, --considering.

Record year for Sunderland Nissan plant
BBC News, 20 January 2011

The Nissan plant at Sunderland has had a record year, accounting for more than one in three of all passenger cars produced in the UK in 2010.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that it manufactured 423,262 units in 2010, of which 81% were exported.

This beats the previous record of 386,555 in 2008.

Read More (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-12238174)


It's almost unbelievable that one in three cars made in the UK is built in Sunderland.

A partial return to King Coal?

(Excuse the typical doom-laden slant from the Echo):


Coal mine plan sparks fury


http://www.sunderlandecho.com/webimage/quarry210111kbgdc_1_2956296!image/4279277037.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/4279277037.jpg

Controversial plans have been drawn up to dig opencast mines on the edge of Wearside.

A major mining firm has identified two green-belt areas either side of Pittington, on the Sunderland-County Durham border, as “strategic coal sites” with some 3.3million tonnes of economically extractable reserves.

The biggest, with an estimated 2.5million tonnes available, is to the east of West Rainton and across towards High Moorsley.

While they could create jobs and cut the need to import coal, critics claim having two new opencast pits would be a blot on the landscape and blight the lives of people living nearby.

Opposition to any such developments is expected to be fierce.


Full story here: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/coal_mine_plan_sparks_fury_1_2956292

North forced to bear the brunt of massive cuts
by Amy Hunt, The Journal, January 24th 2011

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/jan2011/6/6/wearmouth-bridge-in-sunderland-457357296.JPG
Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland

PLANS to slash the country's debt through massive spending cuts will hit the North much harder than the South, new research concludes.

Think-tank Centre for Cities has highlighted a division in how different parts of the UK are recovering from recession and are placed to absorb cuts to the public sector.

Sunderland is named in the Cities Outlook 2011 report as one of the most vulnerable places in the country, prompting a backlash from the council’s boss.

The report pulls together figures on things like unemployment, the number of people on benefits, average earnings and the number of public versus private sector jobs.

It finds certain parts of the country will be much harder hit by forthcoming cuts to welfare and the public sector, as the Government tries to reduce the country’s deficit and will find it much harder to bounce back from recession.

Cities in the North East and North West are most likely to be affected, with those in the South and South East least hard hit.

Sunderland is said to be among those cities with “weaker private sector economies” which rely heavily on public sector employment.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/01/24/north-forced-to-bear-the-brunt-of-massive-cuts-61634-28042033/#ixzz1BwSvcudU

^^^^


This report doesn't surprise, ---with large Public sector employment cuts, it's bound to have a serious effect,--think we have to look to other Industries such as Nissan and maybe Offshore, --and Software, ---but which ever way we look at this, --it's going to be a tough time for most.

Taxpayer will foot bill to keep vital sites
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, January 25th 2011


THE region’s taxpayers will be hit for a multi-million pound sum as the cost of keeping vital regeneration sites earmarked for a quick sale by the Government.

Ministers want to sell off land and assets built up by the soon-to-be-abolished regional development agency One North East in order to help pay off the national debt.

But while selling publicly-owned assets would bring in money for deficit-minded Ministers, it would put at risk or slow down regeneration projects which it is hoped will create thousands of jobs, from Teesside up to Northumberland.

Insiders say a combination of strict state-aid rules and a coalition Government desperate for cash mean that instead of passing these sites to councils for free, cash-hit local authorities will be told to find the money to ensure the go-ahead of schemes such as the Sunderland Vaux redevelopment or Science Central.

While these two sites could in theory be paid for with new borrowing powers, it is thought the overall bill to the councils will run into tens of million of pounds at a time when city leaders are already slashing thousands of jobs to meet Government cuts.

Last night shadow business minister Chi Onwurah said the continuing uncertainty risked damaging the regional economy.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/01/25/taxpayer-will-foot-bill-to-keep-vital-sites-61634-28047221/#ixzz1C2dzFchK

^^^^


As the Vaux site will be part of this, ---does anyone know if SCC actually bought the site from Tesco, --and if so, --how will the Council be affected? thanks.

North East councils could soon be starved of cash
The Journal, January 26th 2011


A Multi-Billion pound blow, could see North councils starved of the cash needed to fund everything from social care to supporting the police.

A Government reorganisation of how councils are funded could see business rates currently handed to poorer northern authorities sent back to London and the South East with Yorkshire, the North East and North West left with a £3.5bn a year shortfall between them.

The claim has been made by the Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities and raised with Labour party leader Ed Miliband by Durham County Council boss Simon Henig.

His council would be among the worst hit, losing £82.5m a year, with Northumberland missing out on £38.5m and Newcastle £8m. Business rates, a tax on local firms, would no longer be collected nationally and redistributed to those who need extra help.

However, the Government proposals, due out this week, would see councils such as Surrey gain £295m a year. It is thought the restructuring proposals will be announced later this week.

It is the latest North-South divide created by the coalition Government, which last month stung North East councils with funding cuts worth almost ten times more per head than those imposed on the South.

The Department for Communities and Local Government was asked for a comment but has not yet responded.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2011/01/26/north-east-councils-could-soon-be-starved-of-cash-51140-28056544/

^^^^


This is not unexpected, --think most people realised that our Regions would take a big hit from this Government, ---- North South Divide! --- some things never change.

Barclays, which employs 1500 people at Doxford Park, has announced 50 redundancies.

Full story here: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/jobs_cuts_at_barclays_1_2979430

Barclays, which employs 1500 people at Doxford Park, has announced 50 redundancies.

Full story here: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/jobs_cuts_at_barclays_1_2979430


Yeah more bad news, ---and sadly there will be a lot more job losses during the next year or so.

All efforts to keep up the momentum
by Peter McCusker, The Journal, February 2nd 2011

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nebusiness/feb2011/1/4/king-sturge-have-begun-marketing-city-green-sunderland-453466570.jpg
King Sturge have begun marketing City Green, Sunderland

In this week's focus on the region's commercial property sector one of our experts discusses the future prospects for Sunderland.

Following the good work of Sunderland ARC, every effort needs to be exerted to maintain momentum going forward.

The imminent closure of Sunderland Arc, the city’s regeneration agency, casts a shadow of uncertainty over the ongoing regeneration of the city although other agencies, not least Sunderland City Council and OneNorth East, will be keen to continue to attract new investment to the city and build on recent achievements.

As the region’s largest city and one of the most competitive business locations in the UK it has seen a number of development proposals brought forward by Sunderland Arc through its 15-year regeneration plan, including mixed-use schemes at Sunniside, Holmeside, Farringdon Row and the high-profile Vaux site.

The city also benefits from the Software City initiative designed to inspire and encourage the growth of the software industry in the region, this is a private/public sector partnership, which includes the city council and the University of Sunderland.

The Vaux site is one of the North East’s most significant brownfield regeneration sites. This highly prominent 10.44 ha (26 acre) former brewery site adjoins the city centre.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commercial-property-north-east/features/2011/02/02/all-efforts-to-keep-up-the-momentum-51140-28095191/

^^^^

Wonder if there will be many takers for this Central area of office space, ---lets hope so, ---and would be great if there was also proposed Developments on the Vaux site, ---of course this could be a couple or so years away.

More bad news, --this from the Echo, ---


£1billion shortfall a timebomb for the NHS, warn MPsSponsored by Lumley Castle
Latest News
By Ross Robertson
Published on Thu Feb 03 12:46:09 GMT 2011


WEARSIDE and Durham MPs have warned against a £1billion shortfall that is “tying the hands of NHS staff”.


Easington MP Grahame Morris and Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson say the Coalition Government’s Office of Budget Responsibility forecast inflation of 2.5 per cent outweighs the proposed two per cent increase in health spending.

They claim this leads to a £0.5billion spending cut for NHS England, adding to a further cut of £0.7billion due to the Government’s “double counting” of social care funding in both NHS and local council budgets.

In comments echoed by Mr Morris, Ms Phillipson said: “David Cameron promised to protect the NHS; the projected shortfall in funding clearly shows the opposite. It’s clear any shortfall in funding ties the hands of NHS staff across Wearside and could lead to a reduction in local services.

Read more, http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/1billion_shortfall_a_timebomb_for_the_nhs_warn_mps_1_3040346

Garlands boss to create 250 jobs
by Chris Knox, The Journal, February 7th 2011


A DIRECTOR of the collapsed call centre operator Garlands has opened a new call centre in Sunderland with plans to create 250 jobs by the end of the year.

Jim Bainbridge has teamed up with a team of private investors to launch the new business, which he believes could grow to be bigger than his last venture.

Hartlepool-based Garlands, launched two decades ago by Chey Garland from the attic of her home in Middlesbrough, closed last year with 1,158 workers made redundant following the loss of major contracts which included Vodafone and TalkTalk.

Mr Bainbridge’s new business RevolutionCC has already secured its first contract with an insurer in the domestic market, which has created of 15 jobs at Sunderland City Council’s e-commerce and technology centre at Rainton Bridge South.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/02/07/garlands-boss-to-create-250-jobs-61634-28125298/#ixzz1DGI9ZSAm

^^^^

Lets hope this happens, ----250 new jobs would be very welcome.

From the Northern Echo, --


Poetic justice if railways work is awarded to region’
9:39am Saturday 5th February 2011

Print Email Share Comments(1) By Chris Fay »
Reporter (Sedgefield)


THE Shadow Transport Secretary yesterday supported a bid to bring train building back to the birthplace of the railways.

Maria Eagle visited Hitachi’s preferred site to deliver the next generation of high speed trains under the Government’s InterCity Express Programme (IEP).

A decision on the scheme, which could create 800 jobs on Aycliffe Business Park, County Durham, and up to 7,000 more in the supply chain, is expected in weeks, but it was revealed yesterday that Aycliffe was not on the original shortlist.

Miss Eagle told a delegation at the nearby Xcel Conference Centre that the revelation showed how much effort had been put in to the Aycliffe bid.

Earlier, Geoff Hunton, the managing director of Merchant Place Developments, said the firm was ready to develop Amazon Park for the Hitachi- led Agility Trains consortium.

However, he said that when Hitachi drew up its shortlist of 42 UK sites, Aycliffe was not among them.

Mr Hunton said: “From not being on the shortlist at all we have gone down to being one of two locations – the other being the Toyota plant in Wales – and now we are the preferred choice.

Read more http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/newtonaycliffe/8835501.___Poetic_justice_if_railways_work_is_awarded_to_region___/

Nissan create 25 new apprenticeship places
by Chris Knox, The Journal, February 11th 2011


MOTOR giant Nissan has created 25 apprenticeship places as it looks to bolster its plant in Sunderland and ensure it has the skills to support its move into electric vehicle manufacture.

The new recruitment drive has been timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week and will see the successful applicants become trainee maintenance technicians. They will start their on-the-job training this September.

The training programme lasts five years and will combine theoretical study and hands-on experience, allowing the trainees to work towards an industry-recognised qualification, while earning a competitive salary.

Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd (NMUK) has running an apprenticeship programme since 1984 and these 25 posts will take the total number of apprentices taken on at the plant to 1,058.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2011/02/11/nissan-create-25-new-apprenticeship-places-51140-28151842/

^^^^

Welcome news for young Lads, ---would be great if more firms could take on Apprentices, ---but I can't see it happening, --but well done to Nissan.

More on the new supermarket.

Should keep Tesco happy. :lol:

Supermarket plans submitted

Sponsored by Lumley Castle

Published on Mon Feb 14 11:41:39 GMT 2011

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build another supermarket in Sunderland have been officially submitted.

The proposed development on North Hylton Road would have a foodstore, shops, commercial units, offices and a restaurant, as well as 186 parking spaces.

Should it get the green light from city councillors, the £10million scheme would transform an eyesore and create the equivalent of 238 full-time jobs.

The development aims to turn the old Jennings site, owned by Northern Electric Distributors, into an “exciting district centre”.

Read more:
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/supermarket_plans_submitted_1_3077785

More on the new supermarket.

Should keep Tesco happy. :lol:



Read more:
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/supermarket_plans_submitted_1_3077785

I really hope this Sainsburys development happens.

I really hope this Sainsburys development happens.


Yeah, --would create quite a few jobs, ---but like has been said, ---don't think Tesco will be very happy.

Not good news, ---this from the Echo, --


Sunderland property firm gentoo to axe hundreds of jobs
Latest News

Published on Tue Feb 15 12:27:21 GMT 2011


SUNDERLAND property giant gentoo is to shed hundreds of jobs.


Workers were told in meetings this morning that a 90-day consultation period has started and the city’s biggest landlord is looking to lose 275 posts out of a total of about 1,800.

The firm says it is working with unions in the hope that the job losses will be found through volunteers rather than having to make people compulsorily redundant.

Gentoo has blamed three factors which it says have made job losses inevitable: the end of its 10-year programme of renewal schemes across the city; the impact of the recession on the construction industry nationally and the Coalition Government’s drastic reduction in the amount of money being made available to social housing builders.

Company bosses say other areas of the gentoo empire continue to do well, but there was no alternative to acting now.

Gentoo Group chief executive Peter Walls briefed the company’s construction workers at a mass meeting held at Rainton Meadows Arena early this morning.

Other members of gentoo staff were briefed later at the company’s Doxford HQ Emperor House.

Read more http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/sunderland_property_firm_gentoo_to_axe_hundreds_of_jobs_1_3081440

More jobs to be lost, --from the Sunderland Echo, --




Fears over police cutsSponsored by Lumley Castle
Northumbria Police must make �57million savings
By Marissa Carruthers
Published on Thu Feb 17 11:29:21 GMT 2011


POLITICIANS, unions and community groups say they fear job cuts at Northumbria Police could affect front-line services.


Northumbria Police is facing making savings of £57million and the force’s police authority members have warned there is a further funding gap of £23million still to be met, which will see more reductions next year.

Today, people in Sunderland have voiced their concern at the scale of the cuts.

Sunderland Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Doug Ridley said he fears the moves will shatter communities that have worked hard to get crime off their streets.

He said: “It is an absolutely devastating thing and we are going to see a lot more trouble on the streets if there’s going to be a decline in the number of police.

“There’s a tremendous amount of jobs being cut and I don’t see how this won’t have an effect.

“The Government will then expect people like me who has worked and volunteered all my life to give up more of my time for free.”

Despite the 12 per cent drop in the Northunbria Police budget, Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim has pledged to keep the same number of bobbies on the beat across Wearside.

She said the move will have no effect on response teams answering emergency calls across the city.

Read more http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/fears_over_police_cuts_1_3088139

This from the Sunderland Echo, ---


Councils may have to buy back key development sites from scrapped One North EastSponsored by Lumley Castle
Published on Fri Feb 18 10:32:48 GMT 2011


A BATTLE is on to prevent a multimillion-pound bill being passed to taxpayers in order to save key regional assets.


The decision to scrap One North East means that if local councils want to keep its assets, including Stadium Park in Sunderland –- which was planned to become a sports village –- and Durham’s former ice rink, they must buy them from One North East and pay stamp duty on the purchases.

If this is enforced it will add a bill of tens of millions of pounds to councils that are already facing the largest spending cuts in a generation.

Read more http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/councils_may_have_to_buy_back_key_development_sites_from_scrapped_one_north_east_1_3094122

^^ In similar vein . . .

Stamp duty battle over region's assets
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, February 18th 2011

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nejournal/sep2010/4/7/one-north-east-950472098.jpg

A BATTLE is on to prevent a multi-million pound tax bill being passed to taxpayers as the region tries to save assets key to the region’s economic future.

The Government’s decision to scrap development agency One North East will see councils forced to pay if they want to keep £54m worth of vital assets such as a full stake in Newcastle Science Central. The decision effectively adds bills worth tens of millions of pounds to council costs just to keep regeneration projects going.

But it has now emerged council bosses will also have to pay stamp duty on any land they buy at a time when they face the deepest spending cuts in a generation. Staff from the development agency met with London-based civil servants to argue against imposing stamp duty. Eventually councillors will have to decide between paying huge bills to keep projects going and creating jobs or saving cash for day-to-day services such as bin collections and elderly care.

The Journal has seen a copy One North East’s assets and liabilities list handed over to the Department for Business detailing its plans to close the agency down. In this the agency puts the case for allowing the region to retain assets paid for already with public money.

In his submission to the Government, obtained by the Local Government Chronicle, Mr Clarke made clear “ownership is as a result of inherited properties and an active strategy to assemble sites which are key to the economic development and successful regeneration of the North East”.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/02/18/stamp-duty-battle-over-region-s-assets-61634-28191482/#ixzz1EJTpGhsM


ALSO, from the Journal, Friday February 18th 2011 . .
http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%203/OneNorthEast-18Feb2011_0001.jpg
http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%203/OneNorthEast-18Feb2011_0002.jpg

^^^^
Am I correct in thinking that ONE's assets have been paid for with Public Money, --but that this Government has taken it all, --and now want Councils to buy back what has already been paid for.?

^^^^
Am I correct in thinking that ONE's assets have been paid for with Public Money, --but that this Government has taken it all, --and now want Councils to buy back what has already been paid for.?


That is my understanding of it.

AND, we would have to pay tax (Stamp Duty) on it, it seems!

That is my understanding of it.

AND, we would have to pay tax (Stamp Duty) on it, it seems!


I think we all understand there needs to be some savings and cut backs made, --but what these people are doing here is just out of order, --suppose we shouldn't be surprised at what this grab all Government do anymore though.

Housing cash for North East will head South
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, February 24th 2011


MILLIONS of pounds will be taken from the money for the North to pay for incentives to build houses in the South, it has been revealed.

A Government scheme to hand over extra cash for every new home built will largely be funded by diverting money from Northern council funds.

Because the New Homes Bonus is based on the council tax value of the property, the more populated Southern councils will need to receive much more than the North.

And ministers believe the only way to find that money is to take from council budgets.

Latest estimates say that from 2012 onwards the North will lose out on £102m while councils in the South East will gain £324m.

The more homes that are built in London and the South East, the greater the reduction in support for services will be in the North.

Housing bosses last night warned the funding will worsen the North-South divide as money is passed from deprived areas to prosperous Southern councils.

It comes just months after the Government had safeguarded predominantly Southern councils from the worst of the national spending cuts, with figures revealing the 'per head' reductions up to ten-times worse in the North.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/02/24/housing-cash-for-north-east-will-head-south-61634-28224741/#ixzz1EsHimUvK

^^^^

Another kick in the teeth for the North.:ohno:

This from the Northern Echo, ---


Residents oppose plans for Durham City transformation
9:30am Wednesday 23rd February 2011

Print Email Share Comments(2) By Mark Tallentire »

COUNCIL chiefs have been challenged to abandon multi-billion pound plans to build thousands of homes and a major business hub in Durham City.

Durham County Council bosses want 5,000 new homes built around the city by 2030 and Aykley Heads transformed into a cutting-edge industrial complex under the County Durham Plan, their blueprint for transforming the county into a regional economic powerhouse with 29,000 new homes and 16,000 new jobs.

However, proposals for Aykley Heads and to build houses near the A167 north of Durham have run into opposition from residents and, at a public meeting yesterday, a succession challenged planning chief Stuart Timmiss on the plans.

Stuart Magee said: "I live in Aykley Heads and you can't move on the roads.

"If you turn it all over to a business park to rival the rest of the world, how on earth do you envisage the impact?"

Eric Pounder said: "This (Aykley Heads) is probably one of the best greenbelt areas, with outstanding views over the (Durham) Cathedral and the coast.

"It's a place of outstanding natural beauty. It's a vital lung for Durham."

Read more http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/durham/8869170.Residents_oppose_plans_for_Durham_City_transformation/

This is excellent news. I hope Hitachi do follow up these train by making the site a permanent location for train assembly. Not only that but the region will also be boosted when these trains are in service.

Coalition slammed for revelling in cuts
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, March 3rd 2011


CUTS worth £102m were agreed in the North’s biggest cities last night as a result of the coalition’s “glee and enthusiasm” for hitting the North East.

Both Sunderland and Newcastle Councils put through budget reductions which will see services reduced or jobs go. In Tyneside the police had to hold back several dozen protesters intent on disrupting the meeting.

Sunderland Council has promised there will be no redundancies as it faces up to cuts and rising bills worth £58m this year. Councillors in Wearside were told at a full council meeting yesterday it was the first time in more than 30 years that no direct grant was available for the most deprived communities.

In Newcastle the Liberal Democrats pushed through a budget which sees £44m cut this year.

More than 600 jobs will go as a result over the next 18 months. There are fears libraries will be turned into “self-service hubs” and centres for disabled people merged.

In Sunderland council leader Paul Watson warned that “in these toughest of economic times we are facing an unprecedented scale of challenge”.

Mr Watson, leader also of the Association of North East Councils and tasked with being the link from the region to Whitehall, went on to launch one of the strongest attacks yet on the coalition.

The Labour councillor said: “We all knew that reductions in public spending had to happen but I for one am saddened, even to anger, at the apparent glee and enthusiasm shown by the coalition Government in inflicting these cuts and especially at the relish they have taken in the front-loading of local government cuts rather than have the reductions spread evenly across the four years.”


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/03/03/coalition-slammed-for-revelling-in-cuts-61634-28271554/#ixzz1FWf7nqjN

^^^^

Great news for the area, ---and more jobs to come, ---has to be good.

Durham Tourist Information Centre to close
by Neil McKay, The Journal, April 4th 2011


COUNCIL bosses have been criticised for a decision to axe a tourism information centre in the historic city of Durham - while retaining one in a town 10 miles away.

Thousands of visitors flock to Durham every year to enjoy world-class tourist hotspots such as Durham Cathedral and the university buildings steeped in heritage.

But plans to scrap the tourism information centre (TIC) mean they will be without a guide to the city’s key attractions. Instead, visitors will have to drive east to Peterlee, a town that has little to offer in terms of sightseeing.

The decision was branded “ridiculously short-sighted” by Liberal Democrat councillor Carol Woods and by visitors to Durham yesterday.

Coun Woods, from Sherburn Village, Durham, said: “I should start by declaring an interest because I run a holiday business.

“But with all due respect to Peterlee, many more tourists visit Durham – yet it is in Durham where the county council is getting rid of its tourism information centre.

“The centre is somewhere for visitors to find out not only about attractions in Durham itself, but also popular spots county-wide. To axe it is short-sighted in the extreme.

“If the county council wish to attract tourists to County Durham then surely they should keep tourism information centres in places where people want to visit.”


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/04/04/durham-tourist-information-centre-to-close-61634-28453243/#ixzz1IXUNbDQs

.

^^^^


We all know there needs to be savings made, ---but this seems a strange one.

This from the BBC, ----


7 April 2011

Nissan extends Easter closure in UK due to parts delays
Nissan said the impact on the 5,000 workers at its Sunderland plant would be kept to a minimum Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Honda halves Swindon production
Carmaker Nissan is to suspend production in the UK for three days due to parts shortages caused by the Japan earthquake.

The stoppage at its Sunderland plant is in addition to the planned Easter closure at the end of the month.

On Wednesday, Honda said that it would halve production at its Swindon plant from next week.

The car and the electronics industries are expected to be most affected by last month's disaster in Japan.

Read more http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12996667

After some good news regarding jobs, ------there are still many jobs being lost, ---this from the Sunderland Echo, ---




Sponsored by
Hundreds of jobs to go in factory closure By Fiona Thompson
Published on Thursday 14 April 2011 11:56


A DRUGS firm is to wind down its factory with the loss of more than 300 jobs.


Reckitt Benckiser (RB) has launched a 90-day consultation with staff at its site in Traynor Way in Peterlee.

The pharmaceutical company plans to transfer production to its sister plants in Hull and Nottingham, with the remaining 40 per cent of its workload to be sent overseas.

If the move goes ahead, the 321 roles at the factory, which has been in operation for a decade, will go by 2014.

Read more http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/hundreds_of_jobs_to_go_in_factory_closure_1_3288377

Double standards row as Coalition orders region to sell off its assets
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, April 15th 2011


THE North East has been told it must sell off regeneration sites and hand the cash to the Government despite an admission that the same rules will not apply to London.

In a letter seen by The Journal, ministers have said that they will not hand councils control of key regeneration sites and told them it is either cash up front or see the sites sold off for a quick sale.

At the same time London mayor Boris Johnson has been told the law will be tweaked to ensure his administration’s ownership of assets across the capital are retained for the capital’s benefit.

Government ministers have been told their decision has effectively created one rule for the North East and other English regions and another for London.

Labour’s shadow business minister Gordon Marsden said: “In comparison to this transfer of assets to London, the way in which ministers are treating the English regions is outrageous. Ministers are starving the regions of access to the key assets they need to push growth, create jobs and stimulate their local economies.”

The assets were previously held by development agency One North East, covering land and building across the region, and held to attract major new employers.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/04/15/double-standards-row-as-coalition-orders-region-to-sell-off-its-assets-61634-28524867/#ixzz1JZvjuV8d

^^^^


This was always on the cards, ---so we shouldn't be surprised at what this Government does, ------ they will take what they want, --then give a few handouts back, --one of the oldest tricks in the book, ---but London will not lose out, --sounds familiar.:ohno:

North East Local Enterprise Partnership chairman issues warning over key decision
by Andrew Hebden, The Journal, April 18th 2011


THE chairman of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership has warned it faces its first major test of its unity in deciding on the location of a new enterprise zone.

Paul Walker, the former chief executive of software giant Sage, was announced as interim chairman of the new LEP for the north of the region last month.

The North East LEP was finally established after a protracted period of negotiations surrounding how many of the new bodies there should be in the region. A separate LEP has been set up covering Teesside.

In his first major interview since his appointment, Mr Walker warned that the region – and the Government – will watch the new LEP closely in its early days.

And he admitted making a decision over where to base the new enterprise zone – where companies will benefit from tax breaks and simplified planning rules – will test the unity of the new body, in particular its seven local authority representatives.

“Trying to keep politics out of that (decision) is going to be difficult,” he told nebusiness magazine, which is published free with The Journal tomorrow. “It goes without saying that it’s going to be a very interesting process.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/04/18/north-east-local-enterprise-partnership-chairman-issues-warning-over-key-decision-61634-28537215/#ixzz1JrKXaaLR