The ‘Northern Powerhouse In Action’ report from the Institute of Public Policy Research North sponsored by EY, is published today and says we must work to close the Nortj/South gap. Tony McDonough reports.

The North of England must show that the Northern Powerhouse is more than just a concept if the region is to address the increasing economic gap between North and South, according to a new report.

The ‘Northern Powerhouse In Action’ report from the Institute of Public Policy Research North (IPPR North), sponsored by EY, is published today.

It outlines the key principles for shaping industrial strategy across the region and the opportunity for the North of England to address the productivity performance gap between the North and South.

Seven organisations from across the North feature in the IPPR report as leading examples for how the Northern Powerhouse is already helping shape the region’s economy.

The case studies have been chosen to reflect the capabilities set out in the recent Northern Independent Economic Review (NIER).

These capabilities, taken together, account for 2.1m jobs in the region and just over £100bn GVA.

Organisations that feature in the report range from a specialist manufacturer in Liverpool which has capitalised on the city region’s investment in advanced manufacturing clusters, to an innovative health technology developer in Newcastle.

Bob Ward, North West senior partner at EY, said: “In the North we have a lot to be proud of.

“There is a real commitment and appetite to drive growth across the North to help re-balance the economy.

“The Northern Powerhouse concept is at the forefront of this. But it needs to be more than just an ambition.

“The UK economy as a whole is predicted to contract over the next three years. The impact of this will be exacerbated in the North as we are failing to catch up.

“It is imperative that we seize the opportunity and showcase tangible examples of the Northern Powerhouse in action to keep momentum moving in the region.

“This report by the IPPR North does just that and highlights just a small selection of success stories in the North that we can all learn from and be inspired by.

“We need to continue to collaborate at a local level to maximise government investment, increase skills and continue to play a role on the global stage.”