Talent gap
A dozen universities and research institutions have been selected to deliver the Government’s £54 million Global Talent Fund aimed at recruiting 60-80 world-class researchers to the UK.
“The announcement is an import and and welcome step,” said Dr Annette Bramley, Director of the N8 Research Partnership. “However, it is deeply disappointing that none of the selected institutions are based in the North of England.
“The N8 Research Partnership universities – Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and York – are globally recognised for research excellence, and instrumental in driving innovation-led growth across the North and the UK as a whole.
“Recent analysis shows that the N8 universities contribute an annual economic impact of £18.8 billion to the UK economy, supporting 119,000 jobs and generating £3.3 billion in export earnings.”
Dr Bramley said the decision risks deepening regional disparities in R&D funding and called for future programmes to recognise the significant strengths and contributions of institutions outside the South.
Teesworks selected
Ministers have selected Teesworks, the site of the former Redcar steelworks, as the country’s second AI Growth Zone, with plans to build the largest data centre in Europe, according to the FT.
The decision to choose Teesworks comes less than four months after deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s department issued a “best value” notice against the local public bodies responsible for it due to concerns over value for money and governance.
The site’s focus on AI could also undermine plans that have been under way since 2021 to build a blue hydrogen and carbon capture plant in the same area as the proposed data centre.
Going to plan
No surprises, shocks or major announcements at this week’s North East Combined Authority cabinet meeting. We knew about everything already - but that shouldn’t diminish the importance of what went on.
Mayor Kim McGuinness’s £28.6m Child Poverty Action Plan was approved, as was the Local Transport Plan, including extra money for the Shields Ferry. The skills and employability programme New Deal for North East Workers was approved, as was a £2m contribution to launch a Centre for Writing in Newcastle.
It was also agreed to begin development of a North East Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) which could take several years to see the light of day.
Two depart
Things are not going so smoothly at Tees Valley Combined Authority where it’s been confirmed that two of their senior officials have left their roles.
A source told Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Hodgson that chief legal and monitoring officer Emma Simson and director of finance and resources Gary Macdonald had been told that they have no future with the organisation and “haven’t been seen since”.
Senior journalist Peter Morris described their departure as “the most sensational development yet at the troubled organisation”.
TVCA chief exec Tom Bryant is recommending to Cabinet today that experienced local government officials Jodie Townsend and Jo Moore be brought in as interim directors for up to 12 months. The posts are statutory and must by law be filled.
Talking of departures
Newcastle City Council’s director of innovation and growth, Michelle Percy, has left her role at the Civic Centre.
The outcome of an eight-month independent investigation into her allegation of bullying against former council leader Nick Kemp is still awaited. More recently, she went on a period of leave after the transport division was removed from her portfolio.
Liberal Democrat group leader Colin Ferguson said: “This is another high profile departure from the council at a time of great uncertainty about its future direction on a number of fronts. The statement says little beyond platitudes. Questions inevitably remain.
“We still have an outstanding complaint to be resolved, an investigation into alleged fraud ongoing, and an inquiry into the governance culture of the council - instigated under Lib Dem pressure - yet to start. The public will rightly expect, and deserves, clarity on how we got to this point and where the council goes from here.”
Innovation time
Northumberland has been selected as one of the Government’s 10 pilot sites that will see ‘innovation squads’ being sent in to help fix local problems.
It’s part of a £100 million Test, Learn and Grow reform programme and will see policy officials, tech specialists and other experts deployed to directly test solutions - as opposed to the ‘Whitehall knows best’ approach.
Among the challenges the teams will look at are increasing the uptake of Best Start Family Hubs, establishing neighbourhood health services, better supporting children with special needs, getting more people into work, rolling out breakfast clubs, and tackling violence against women and girls.
The squads will have an explicit mandate to try new things and be creative, collaborating directly with frontline workers and service users.
Food for thought
We could do with an innovation squad to address the region’s poor diet which is giving us the highest obesity rates in the country, a hypertension prevalence that is 54% higher than in London, and the highest mortality rates for preventable liver disease, preventable cardiovascular disease and preventable cancer.
The stark statistics are spelled out in the Northern Health Science Alliance’s Nutrition North report.
The average weekly household food spend in the North East is the lowest in the country at £56.30, compared with an English average of £65.50. We also spend £3.27 a week less on fruit and veg than the average - but have more fast food outlets per person.
Hairy Biker Si King wrote the foreword for the report. He said: “Too many in the North are missing out on the basics: fibre, calcium, fresh veg, and healthy fats. These aren’t luxuries, they’re essentials. We need action now – local solutions, skilled nutritionists, and secure incomes - so that every family in the North has the chance to eat well and live well.”
Flying high
Newcastle Airport has announced a 15-year masterplan that sets out a bold vision for growth, regional impact, and sustainable development.
They are aiming for a big increase in passenger numbers - nine million a year by 2040, up from 5.4 million in 2023. Key economic benefits include a contribution of £1.9bn in GVA to the regional economy, increasing staff numbers from 3,200 to 5,000 and supporting 32,000 jobs through its supply chain, which is again nearly double the 2023 figure.
Airport chief executive Nick Jones said: “Through significant investment in infrastructure, expanding our route network and progressing with our Net Zero ambitions, we are laying the foundations for sustainable growth, while enhancing our economic contribution to the region.”
The plan is out for consultation. You can see it here and leave a comment.
Happy birthday
The bicentenary of Newcastle’s historic Lit & Phil has been marked by a £274,000 award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund - one which will help trustees progress their plans for a full national grant of £4.5m.
Urgent measures are required to make the building, which opened in 1825, fit for modern use and ensure that its collections and facilities can be enjoyed as widely as possible. David Whetstone reports…
University of life
A group of students with lived experience of homelessness, mental health trauma, and the criminal justice system were among thousands celebrating their graduation at Northumbria University.
As part of a ground-breaking inclusion programme, nearly 20 learners studied modules while contributing to academic research and simultaneously earning a formal qualification in Public Involvement and Co-Production in Research.
Terry Lappin from Newcastle, who was excluded from school at 14, went to prison for four and a half years and lived on the streets for eight months, was one of the graduates.
He said: “I’ve been lucky and have had support to turn things around. Coming to Northumbria has really changed things for me. I’ve shocked myself. If only my teachers could see me now.”
Better by degrees
Dame Irene Hays, owner and Chair of Hays Travel, has received an honorary doctorate from Bradford University in recognition of her achievements in business, public service, and her lifelong commitment to social and economic inclusion.
Teesside University has awarded honorary degrees to Lee Hutchinson, founder of global games studio Double Eleven, Visualsoft chief executive Dean Benson and Professor Derek Bell OBE, chair of the University Hospitals Tees group.
Can you hear it?
Surely I’m not the only one hearing those growing rumblings of discontent from city centre licensees about The Stack at St James’ Park and the autumn opening of Freight Island at Eldon Square?
Unfinished business
The Northern Echo have been running a week-long investigation into the state of housebuilding across County Durham and Darlington, with a focus on unfinished developments, broken promises, and planning accountability.
A quick word
Dame Norma Redfearn, the longest serving Mayor in North Tyneside’s history, is set to be granted the Freedom of the Borough, the highest honour that the council can bestow. Houghton-le-Spring is set to become the latest North East town to get a banking hub. Metro operators Nexus has applied for permission to carry out investigation works at Victoria Viaduct in Washington which could help support a planned extension to the town. The Anchorage, a mental health ‘safe haven’, has been opened in Wallsend by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Everyturn Mental Health - the third, following openings in Ashington and Newcastle. Wag and Company, a charity which uses dogs to visit lonely elderly people, has been able to recruit dozens more volunteers after a successful application for £10,000 from rail company LNER’s community fund. The Cleveland Unit for the Reduction of Violence (CURV) has awarded grants totalling £80,000 to charities and community groups to tackle knife crime. Sunderland is among 40 areas to be awarded money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the Nature Towns and Cities Programme, to improve access to green spaces. Historian Norman Moorsom, who has devoted his life to chronicling Middlesbrough’s heritage, has been granted the honorary freedom of the borough. Sunderland University has told staff that 25 roles that currently support the National Glass Centre will become redundant when the centre closes in July next year. Newcastle University has paid out more than £1.7m in compensation to students whose learning was affected by recent strike action by academics. Plans to convert a house in Sunderland into a specialist care hub for children and young people with "complex needs" have been approved by councillors.
Gazza recovering
Former England international Paul Gascoigne is recovering at his home in Poole in Dorset after being released from hospital. He was admitted to intensive care on Friday after being found semi-conscious by a friend.
Rescue record?
The lifeboat team at RNLI Cullercoats has responded to 41 call-outs so far this year - only four short of the total for the whole of 2024.
The organisation is now calling for drivers to stop parking on the double yellow lines on the accessibility ramp as it is hampering volunteers reaching the lifeboats. “When someone is in the water and needs assistance, every second counts,” said volunteer Sarah Whitelaw.
Better late…
Music legend Stevie Wonder has received his Freedom of Newcastle award two years after it was announced - thanks to the combined efforts of music charity Northern Roots, Malcolm Gerrie, the co-creator of The Tube, and Stevie’s UK manager Keith Harris, who is from Newcastle.
Singer Georgia May, a graduate of the Northern Roots mentoring programme, did the honours on behalf of the city in the early hours of the morning at the singer’s London hotel after his headline performance at the Hyde Park festival.
Gallery closes
Artist Alexander Millar, best known for creating the iconic 'Gadgie', has closed his gallery on Newcastle’s Grey Street. His Glasgow gallery will remain open.
“Newcastle has truly become a second home to me,” he said. “Even though the gallery has closed, I'm not going anywhere – I'll still be around, popping up at events, saying hello, and enjoying a quiet coffee in the places that have become part of my every day.”
1983 ad break
“It’s so British, you may not have heard how successful it is,” says the voiceover man. Meanwhile Sunderland-born actor Maurice Roeves (he moved to Glasgow when he was six and considered himself Scottish) displays an impressive reportoire of head shaking.
In a week when US hedge fund Elliott criticised BP for what it called chronic operational underperformance, I thought it only right to redress the balance by bringing you one of BP’s ads from the early 80s that had innovation and national pride at its front, back and centre.
Mind you, if the voiceover man were to ask today if BP was a British company, and if Maurice were alive, then he’d have another chance to show that he hadn’t exhausted all the ways he had to shake his head.
Business bites
The owners of PD Ports have agreed to sell a 49% stake in the business to a Spanish investment fund established by Zara founder Amancio Ortega, who currently lies 12th in the Forbes Billionaires List. Nixon Hire CEO Graham Nixon is to step down and become a non-exec after 10 years in charge and a total of 37 years at the family company. He and his family are moving abroad. COO Brian Cornett will take over on August 1. The good times continue for County Durham-based Kromek after securing a £1.7m contract from the Home Office to supply wearable radiation detectors for use by frontline responders such as police, border forces and emergency services. Workers at SeAH Wind at Teesworks have won the right to union recognition. A couple have taken on the former Wilko store in South Shields to turn it into an art gallery and collaborative workplace. The North East Chamber of Commerce and the seven members who make up North East Enterprise Agencies (NEEAL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen support for the region’s start-up and small business community. Newcastle-based Adderstone Living has opened an office in Birmingham after recent openings in Leeds and Manchester. The group chief executive of North East transport firm Go-Ahead, Miguel Parras, has stepped down to pursue other opportunities. Newcastle-based Atlas Cloud has acquired Challow Design Network Services, a niche IT provider based near King’s Cross in London, as part of plans to expand its geographical reach and strengthen its presence in the legal sector. Middlesbrough engineering supplies firm Valves & Flow Control Resources has secured a five-figure investment to fund new stock orders, meet increasing demand and reduce lead times.
Fame academy
A new performing arts college is about to open its doors in Sunderland, aiming to put the North East firmly on the map for professional theatre training.
Arts North Studios, based at The Fire Station, launches this summer as a partnership between Culture Quarter and Sunderland College - and it comes with big ambitions.
Back track
Founder Steve Cram has moved the 2026 Sunderland City Runs, originally planned for May 10, back to May 17 to avoid clashing with Sunderland’s home match against Manchester United.
THE WIDER VIEW
Plastic paracetamol
Scientists have used molecules obtained from plastic waste to make paracetamol, which is currently derived from petrochemicals. Stephan Wallace, the project’s corresponding author and professor of chemical biotechnology at Edinburgh University, said that the emissions from the process were “fractional” compared with normal paracetamol manufacturing.
Park your chair
I’ve never been that bothered about being ‘first’ with the news - preferring quality over speed. Not so sure about being nine years late mind, but this video popped up on my socials this week and it’s … oddly satisfying.
It features chairs that go back to their places when someone claps their hands. I don’t think you’ll be able to just watch it once.
I’ve now discovered that the video of these Intelligent Parking Chairs was produced by Nissan in 2016 to promote the intelligent park assist systems used in their cars. The chairs were never intended for commercial release but became a viral hit - that completely passed me by.
Time to think
Nick Harris writes a great column on Substack called Sporting Intelligence. He threw me this week. It wasn’t about sport.
“Nine days and eight nights in hospital gives you a lot of thinking time, and not for the first time I pondered long and hard about the NHS, and its mind-boggling scale. It employs 1.7m people and is by far the biggest employer in the UK, and one of the biggest in the world.”
According to the Nuffield Trust, there are only four larger employers: the Indian Ministry of Defence (3m people); the US Dept of Defence (2.9m); the People’s Liberation Army of China (2.6m) and Walmart (2.3m).
Walmart?
“The scale of the NHS fascinates me and the enormity of the task needing to be undertaken to reform it and restructure it is bewildering,” said Nick.
He was fulsome in his praise for all the NHS staff but highlighted that social care, with its intimate relationship to the NHS and the way hospitals function, or don’t, is utterly broken.
“For most of my time I was the only patient in my six-bed room in a 28-patient ward who had mobility, i.e. could actually get out of bed. Half of the battle of getting some people home is whether they have appropriate care at home that won’t mean them coming back in again almost immediately. And yet the show goes on.”
Are you ageing well?
Most of us want to enjoy later life feeling strong, connected, and mentally sharp - and not having to worry about social care. But how often do we stop to think about whether the things we’re doing right now are helping us get there?
The Open University and Age UK have developed a quiz, part of their Take Five To Age Well project, a free, expert-led, month-long challenge, which makes it easier, and more empowering to ask yourself that question, reflect and take action.