DETAILS of a new strategy to boost the district’s economic growth by focusing on four key areas of opportunity have been unveiled by Bradford Council.

The latest stage of the long-term strategy, which is being drawn up by Producer City - the district’s economic partnership - outlines what needs to be in place to ensure future success.

Key themes it focuses on are ensuring the district’s young people are equipped to succeed and drive the future economy; capitalising on distinctive places and cultural assets; building on business strengths to improve productivity; and improving transport infrastructure and digital connectivity, and supporting businesses to increase exports.

It follows a series of workshops and consultation with businesses and partners, including People and Innovation Board, Bradford Breakthrough and Leeds City Region Directors of Development.

The strategy looks at the £9.5 billion economy of the whole district with an ambition to grow a more productive forward-looking economy.

An economic analysis of the district by consultants Metro Dynamics was commissioned to underpin the strategy.

This suggests that by developing the right housing and employment offer, Bradford could “retain and attract more younger residents who are currently leaving Bradford” for the economic benefit of the whole district.

It also adds that as a high proportion of Bradfordians who commute to Leeds work in the professional services sector, there is an opportunity to “capitalise on synergies” between the two cities and deepen the relationship between the two labour markets.

Sharing expertise from established companies to create trade networks could also help the emergence of a number of niche new economy sectors, it also advises.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, the Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said: “We have spent the summer speaking to businesses and have a number of emerging themes to help us redefine the focus of the strategy.

“Some important areas where we’d like to focus our attention include the role of business peer support, export and international trade and employer involvement in skills development.

“This strategy will help us ensure our focus as a Council is on the needs of the businesses so we can support their growth and allow them to thrive in the district.”

Shelagh O’Neill, Bradford Council’s Assistant Director of Economy and Development, said the strategy was a way to ensure Bradford was prepared for the future - and to highlight it as a city where people can make a future for themselves.

“It’s really important that this is everybody working together to move in the same direction,” she said.

She added there were some “fantastic businesses, doing fantastic things” and it’s a case of building on those foundations.

“Bradford needs to be in the best possible position to take advantage of any possible opportunities,” she said.

And appealing to businesses, she said: “If you are doing great things, come and tell us about them. Get involved - it’s really an open door. This is not something we are writing in a dark room.”

Councillor Simon Cooke, leader of the Conservative group on the Council, said it was very hard to argue with the premises in the strategy - such as needing more skills in the district and more connectivity. But he added: “The real question is whether there is anything different from what we have been saying for the last 30 years. It doesn’t make it wrong, but it does raise the question of whether we are still missing something in all these strategies.”

This could be business taxes and other forms of investment or more devolution, he added.

The drawing up of an economic growth strategy follows on from the creation of the Producer City partnership in 2013.

It also highlights how Bradford will have to increase the value of its economy by £4 billion and get 22,000 more people into work if its is to achieve national average levels of productivity and employment.

To reach Northern levels of productivity, the district’s economy would need to increase by £1.6bn - which is being used as a benchmark in the strategy.

And to match the national rate for work-age people trained to NVQ3 and above, another 48,000 people in Bradford would need to be trained further.

A report to a meeting of the Council’s executive on Tuesday, October 10, states that the next stage will be to identify the actions needed to achieve “the scale of impact and outcomes being sought”.

“Ongoing work around educational attainment and significant investment in out transport connectivity would be clear examples,” the report states. The final strategy is expected to go before the Producer City board in December.