Powerhouse Perspective: Ilona Alcock
This article originally appeared in Insider - Powerhouse Perspective: Ilona Alcock | Insider Media
What does the Northern Powerhouse mean to you?
It's about the various towns, cities and communities across the North realising their potential and rebalancing the economy. Crucially, it is not about taking anything away from London or the South, it's about improving the country as a whole.
Eight years have passed since the phrase 'Northern Powerhouse' was first coined. Has enough happened since then?
In short, no. There has been a lot of talk and promises, but very little actually happening on the ground. There are pockets of investment in the North (particularly around key cities like Manchester) but not at the scale that we need, nor are they joined up enough.
How is the appointment of metro mayors starting to help the initiative?
It is so important to have a strong voice for the North. This was very apparent during the pandemic with Andy Burnham's profile in the press calling for fairer restrictions and financial support. Having more control over local budgets also helps to develop areas in a more holistic way, involving the communities who are impacted. Close relationships between metro mayors, as we see with Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, also encourages more collaboration on bigger issues such as sustainability.
What needs to be done to help the North recover from the Covid-19 pandemic?
There really is no one answer here, but I do believe funding is key. The pandemic highlighted many regional inequalities (e.g. access to technology, working conditions) that need to be addressed. It has also given us the opportunity to reset how and where we work. The increase in home and remote working can be supported to allow more people to move to the North, regardless of where their employer is based, and also to increase spending outside of city centres.
What is the single main issue you would like to see dominate the Northern Powerhouse agenda?
Transport – especially public transport. It is absolutely crazy how difficult it is to travel across the North. For example, I'm based in Wigan and it takes longer for me to get to Leeds (over two hours) than London. Recent cuts to the Avanti West Coast timetable have also made travel between the North and London almost impossible to plan and hugely expensive. A reliable, cost-effective public transport network would be transformational for the Northern economy.
Is there enough collaboration between towns and cities across the North?
It is definitely improving, and there is a better understanding that we will all do better working together, than competing against each other. For example, pitching internationally to places like China and India is easier and more successful when positioned as the North of England, as opposed to individual cities. We have also seen very effective media campaigns with local publications running joint headlines to draw attention to issues like transport.
How would the success of the Northern Powerhouse agenda benefit your business?
Our client base is predominantly Northern and we are hugely passionate about our region. Increased investment would enable us to support more businesses, to highlight their achievements and work with them on key issues such as sustainability and inclusion.