Developing and Implementing Strategy

In our capacity as the economic development agency for Greater Manchester, we're responsible for providing robust sub-regional leadership by developing and implementing strong, evidence-based economic strategies and priorities, which are supported and delivered by local and sub-regional partners. We have produced the following strategic plans to drive forward economic growth:

• Greater Manchester Economic Development Plan
• Greater Manchester Implementation Plan
• Manchester City Region Development Programme
• Greater Manchester Skills Priority Statement

In addition, we're the North West Development Agency's accountable body for the delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy within Greater Manchester.

North West

The North West Development Agency's Regional Economic Strategy 2006 sets out a vision for the region, which seeks to build a sustainable and internationally competitive economy, based on knowledge and advanced technology, and to improve the quality of life for all its residents. The main objectives are to improve productivity and market growth, to increase the size and capability of the workforce, and to create the conditions for sustainable growth and private sector investment.

Greater Manchester Sub-Region

The Regional Economic Strategy is influenced and supported at sub-regional level by the Greater Manchester Economic Development Plan, which provides the overarching framework for action in Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester Economic Development Plan identifies six drivers that enable partners to bring forward and deliver agreed programmes and initiatives of sub-regional and regional importance to further the economic development of the conurbation.

The six drivers are:

• Building competitive businesses.
• Attracting and retaining investment, visitors and talent.
• Creating world-class skills.
• Achieving economic inclusion.
• Ensuring the best transition to working life for all our young people.
• Securing a modern, integrated and efficient transport network.

The Greater Manchester Implementation Plan is a 10-year action plan (2005-2015) to implement the strategic priorities of both the Regional Economic Strategy and the Greater Manchester Economic Development Plan with an emphasis on accelerating the growth of the Greater Manchester economy. The Greater Manchester Implementation Plan identifies the key challenges and local priorities to be addressed against five themes, and reflects and supports the priorities of the Community Strategies of each of the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, as well as the Learning and Skills Council's Strategic Plan and the Greater Manchester Skills Priorities Statement.

The five themes of the Greater Manchester Implementation Plan are:

• Employer Engagement
• Business Support
• Skills
• Employment
• Conditions for Sustainable Growth

Manchester City-Region

In 2004, the NWDA, along with the Regional Development Agencies for the North East, and Yorkshire and Humberside, and other partners launched Moving Forward: the Northern Way, a growth strategy for bridging the £29 billion output gap between the North of England and the rest of the UK. The strategy builds on, and seeks to add value to, the North's three Regional Economic Strategies, and places eight city regions at the heart of the drive to promote faster economic growth in the North.

Stakeholders in each city-region were tasked with preparing City-Region Development Programmes to develop ideas and proposals to address the economic underperformance in the North of England, recognising the need to better utilise the region's assets and to focus on areas that can produce internationally competitive industries and services.

Manchester's City-Region Development Programme identifies six key sectors that offer the greatest opportunity for accelerated growth:

• Manchester Airport
• Financial and Professional Services
• Life Science Industries
• Creative / Digital / New Media
• Manufacturing
• ICT Digital / Communications

With the active support of Government and regional agencies, and the development of a supportive policy environment, these sectors have the potential to achieve rapid GVA (Gross Value Added) growth, enabling the Manchester City-Region to close the GVA gap with the South East and to be a net contributor to UK economic growth.

The Manchester City-Region, with Manchester Airport in its midst, is the primary international gateway to the North of England. With a population of just over 3 million, 37% of the region's population, it is the economic centre of the North West, generating GVA of £47 billion in 2002, approaching half of the North West total, and is the largest contributor to output outside London and the South East.