Swindon faces heavy post-covid economic challenges

The assessment is part of the latest annual study of the nation's major urban areas - Cities Outlook 2021 - by research and policy organisation Centre for Cities.

Centre for Cities says covid-19’s economic damage risks levelling down many places in the South West as its largest cities and towns have been hit hard by the pandemic.

The organisation, using Office of National Statistics benefit claimant counts and population estimates, says Swindon must reduce unemployment by 3.3 percent if it is to rebuild and improve the economy.

Only Bournemouth, with 3.5 percent, has a more severe rating.

Centre for Cities Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “At the last election the Government pledged to level up the North and Midlands, but now there is a very real risk that previously prosperous cities and towns in the South West could be levelled down – at least in the short-term. 

"This will have damaging consequences for the whole country, which depends on places in the South West to create jobs and fund public services.

“Stopping the South West’s levelling down and helping the North and Midlands recover will not be cheap and will require more than short-term handouts. 

"Government support and investment for new businesses in emerging industries will be essential, as will spending on further education to train people to do the good-quality jobs created.”  

With its necessary 3.3 percent reduction in unemployment needed, Swindon is second in a list of six communities produced by Centre for Cities. Below it are Plymouth with 3.2 percent, Gloucester and Bristol with 3.1 and Exeter with 2.2.

Centre for Cities says the pandemic has made the Government’s promise to level up cities and towns of Northern England and the Midlands four times more difficult, with 634,000 more people outside the Greater South East now needing to find secure, well-paid jobs to level up the country, compared to 170,000 in March.

The organisation is calling on the Chancellor to make plans including:

- Making permanent the £20 rise in Universal Credit.

- Supporting jobless people to find new good jobs.

- Consider the merits of a renewed Eat Out to Help Out scheme for hospitality and non-online retailers once it is safe.

Once the health crisis ends, Centre for Cities says, the Government will need to spend additional money on further measures to level up, including further education to train jobless people for good roles in emerging industries, making city centres better places for high-skilled businesses to locate and improvements to transport infrastructure in city regions.