On 6th September, the Eastern Powerhouse hosted a Members' meeting, followed by a dinner, where local MPs, Peers, and business leaders came together to discuss the region's needs and untapped potential. James Palmer, Eastern Powerhouse Chair, echoed the sentiment of those present: "The new PM already knows about the potential of the East because she represents a Norfolk constituency. She knows the region can deliver the highest rises in growth and productivity for the least amount of investment, relative to other regions. That’s why we are calling on her not to overlook the East but give parity to the region.” You can read more on the Eastern Daily Presse piece here: 'Do not overlook the East' - MPs send message to new PM Liz Truss

Ahead of the new Conservative Party Leader announcement, the Eastern Powerhouse and its Members wrote a letter to both SoS Liz Truss MP and Rishi Sunak MP, highlighting that with more investment, our region can supercharge the UK economy and improve the life chances of all UK citizens. You can find the related coverage below: BBC Look East Eastern Powerhouse Chair, James Palmer Andrew Sinclair Norwich Hustings BBC Radio Suffolk Dr Andy Woods, Adnams CEO Politics.co.uk Memo to the New Prime Minister – Look East to Kick-start National Growth East Anglia Daily Times Levelling up the East could generate £31.2bn bosses tell Sunak and Truss Eastern Daily Press Liz Truss reveals pledges for Norfolk on eve of leadership hustings Politico London Playbook

The Eastern Powerhouse has followed up on its initial outreach to the two remaining candidates in the Conservative Party leadership race. The aim being to reinforce the value of the East to the future PM and the wider country. TO: The Rt Hon Liz Truss MP Dear Mrs Truss We are a group of the leading businesses in the East of England who have formed the Eastern Powerhouse to push for greater investment and growth in our region. Our Chairman James Palmer has already written to you during the course of the Leadership Contest, but as you head to Norwich for the penultimate hustings event on Thursday, we also wanted you to hear from businesses in the region direct. We want to do two things: Firstly, to highlight the major, immediate impediments to growth in the East; and secondly, to enumerate the economic dividends that can accrue to the whole of the country if a government led by you were to take steps to tap the significant potential of the East. As a regional MP, we know that you will already recognise the potential that exists here. The East can deliver the highest rises in growth and productivity for the least amount of investment, relative to other regions. The economic dividends for UK plc would be considerable. We estimate that, if the East of England were able to level up to the South-east (excluding London), we could deliver an extra £31.2bn a year in GDP for the national economy. That would mean £11.5bn of additional tax-take for the Exchequer; and an annual increase in disposable income of £3,100 for every resident in the East of England. The bottom line is the East is currently losing out to other parts of the UK. It has received 40% less Levelling-Up funding than other regions, and a much lower share of public investment. In 2020/21, transport spending in the East of England was just £678 per head compared with £1,476 per head in London, and below the UK average of £737. The East also has the lowest health spend per capita (£2,974 compared with £3,271 nationally) and a lower-than-average education spend (£1,357 compared with £1,428). With more investment, our region can supercharge the UK economy and improve the life chances of all UK citizens, not just Easterners. However, several policy blind spots are preventing the East from fulfilling this role, and we would ask you to address these as a priority if you were to win the Leadership and become Prime Minister: 1. The vital need for rail network upgrades. The Government’s repeated failure to commit to this is impeding the movement of both goods and people within the region. Rail bottlenecks at Ely North junction in particular have dogged the region for years. The East is the UK`s fourth largest economy, yet it has an extremely poor rail service. 2. The need for a coherent energy plan. The East is the only region to have oil, gas, solar, wind and nuclear, as well as a soon-to-be-announced opportunity for tidal power. With a coordinated plan behind it, the region could provide energy to power both London and the West Midlands. 3. Similarly, a plan to create a ‘life sciences’ strategy for the East. The region has Europe's most successful science and tech clusters. What’s needed is a plan to link these together to create a ‘Silicon East’. With the right strategic investment, the region could lead the world in agri-tech, green energy, and life sciences. Our ask to you is to commit to working with us to deliver an independent economic review and a spatial strategy so that we can navigate these bottlenecks and realise the full potential of the region. We want the Eastern Powerhouse to be a partner to Government in shaping policy on the major problems currently stifling growth. Now is a critical time to rectify old problems that are preventing regional development, in particular sub-standard infrastructure. We would welcome a commitment from you to work with us; and we would greatly look forward to working with you in Government to develop and implement solutions in the East, for the benefit of the region and the wider UK. Yours faithfully, The Founding Members of the Eastern Powerhouse  Dr Andy Wood – Chief Executive Officer, Adnams  Konrad Aspinall – Chief Executive Officer, AGR Group  Roz Bird – Chief Executive Officer, Anglia Innovation Partnership  Martyn Fordham – Managing Director, Asynt  William Rooke – Partner and Head of Eastern Commercial, Carter Jonas  Biplab Rakshi – Chair, Institute of Directors (East of England)  Candy Richards – Development Manager, Federation of Small Businesses  Nic Rumsey – Managing Director, Jaynic Group  Matt Windle – Managing Director, Lotus Cars  Sean Milbank – Chair, Milbank Group  Prashant Shah – Co-Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, o2h  Andy Hill – Chief Executive Officer, The Hill Group  Drew Ritchie – Chief Executive Officer, Upp  Nikos Savvas – Principal, West Suffolk College You can download the full version of the letter below:

The Eastern Powerhouse has followed up on its initial outreach to the two remaining candidates in the Conservative Party leadership race. The aim being to reinforce the value of the East to the future PM and the wider country. TO: The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP Dear Mr Sunak We are a group of the leading businesses in the East of England who have formed the Eastern Powerhouse to push for greater investment and growth in our region. Our Chairman James Palmer has already written to you during the course of the Leadership Contest, but as you head to Norwich for the penultimate hustings event on Thursday, we also wanted you to hear from businesses in the region direct. We want to do two things: Firstly, to highlight the major, immediate impediments to growth in the East; and secondly, to enumerate the economic dividends that can accrue to the whole of the country if a government led by you were to take steps to tap the significant potential of the East. The East can deliver the highest rises in growth and productivity levels for the least amount of investment, relative to other regions. The economic dividends for UK plc would be considerable. We estimate that, if the East of England were able to level up to the South-east (excluding London), we could deliver an extra £31.2bn a year in GDP for the national economy. That would mean £11.5bn of additional tax-take for the Exchequer; and an annual increase in disposable income of £3,100 for every resident in the East of England. The bottom line is the East is currently losing out to other parts of the UK. It has received 40% less Levelling-Up funding than other regions, and a much lower share of public investment. In 2020/21, transport spending in the East of England was just £678 per head compared with £1,476 per head in London, and below the UK average of £737. The East also has the lowest health spend per capita (£2,974 compared with £3,271 nationally) and a lower-than-average education spend (£1,357 compared with £1,428). With more investment, our region can supercharge the UK economy and improve the life chances of all UK citizens, not just Easterners. However, several policy blind spots are preventing the East from fulfilling this role, and we would ask you to address these as a priority if you were to win the Leadership and become Prime Minister: 1. The vital need for rail network upgrades. The Government’s repeated failure to commit to this is impeding the movement of both goods and people within the region. Rail bottlenecks at Ely North junction in particular have dogged the region for years. The East is the UK`s fourth largest economy, yet it has an extremely poor rail service. 2. The need for a coherent energy plan. The East is the only region to have oil, gas, solar, wind and nuclear, as well as a soon-to-be-announced opportunity for tidal power. With a coordinated plan behind it, the region could provide energy to power both London and the West Midlands. 3. Similarly, a plan to create a ‘life sciences’ strategy for the East. The region has Europe's most successful science and tech clusters. What’s needed is a plan to link these together to create a ‘Silicon East’. With the right strategic investment, the region could lead the world in agri- tech, green energy, and life sciences. Our ask to you is to commit to working with us to deliver an independent economic review and a spatial strategy so that we can navigate these bottlenecks and realise the full potential of the region. We want the Eastern Powerhouse to be a partner to Government in shaping policy on the major problems currently stifling growth. Now is a critical time to rectify old problems that are preventing regional development, in particular sub-standard infrastructure. We would welcome a commitment from you to work with us; and we would greatly look forward to working with you in Government to develop and implement solutions in the East, for the benefit of the region and the wider UK. Yours faithfully, The Founding Members of the Eastern Powerhouse  Dr Andy Wood – Chief Executive Officer, Adnams  Konrad Aspinall – Chief Executive Officer, AGR Group  Roz Bird – Chief Executive Officer, Anglia Innovation Partnership  Martyn Fordham – Managing Director, Asynt  William Rooke – Partner and Head of Eastern Commercial, Carter Jonas  Biplab Rakshi – Chair, Institute of Directors (East of England)  Candy Richards – Development Manager, Federation of Small Businesses  Nic Rumsey – Managing Director, Jaynic Group  Matt Windle – Managing Director, Lotus Cars  Sean Milbank – Chair, Milbank Group  Prashant Shah – Co-Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, o2h  Andy Hill – Chief Executive Officer, The Hill Group  Drew Ritchie – Chief Executive Officer, Upp  Nikos Savvas – Principal, West Suffolk College You can download the full version of the letter below:

The Eastern Powerhouse has sent a letter to both of the final two candidates in the Conservative Leadership race. The aim being to ensure that either of the possible future Prime Ministers acknowledges the significance of the East to their campaign, and the country. TO: The Rt Hon Liz Truss MP Dear Secretary of State Truss, Congratulations on successfully making it to the final two in the contest to become the next leader of the Conservative party. I am following up on the first letter I sent to all candidates in the race, to introduce the Eastern Powerhouse. I am aware that you have previously offered your support to the Eastern Powerhouse, which aims to promote the East of England nationally and internationally as the UK’s centre for innovation. As MP for SW Norfolk, you are particularly well placed to understand the potential of this region. We strongly believe that the East is set to become one of the most important centres globally in life science, technology, agritech and energy and we urge you, were you to become Prime Minister, to support investment here as part of your plan to grow the economy. The recent Levelling Up White Paper completely overlooked the opportunities the East has to offer. Sensible investment here would grow the economy by up to £30bn per annum, allowing for more opportunities to invest across the rest of the country, yet the East is seemingly dismissed by Whitehall as an agricultural backwater. As Prime Minister, I hope that you would work with us to significantly raise the priority given to this region. Recent government policy has centred on the Arc between Oxford, Cambridge, and London but it is clear that by failing to look East of Cambridge the government is missing out on potentially the biggest opportunity for economic growth in the UK. Linking Europe’s most successful tech centre, Cambridge, with the burgeoning economies of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, would build a UK tech cluster to rival any in the world. Silicon East should be at the heart of government policy, and the East as a whole should be central, rather than peripheral, to the government’s aims. Given your ambition to supercharge the economy with Enterprise Zones, please consider the East as central to, rather than peripheral to your national policy. The Conservative party has made significant gains in the former “Red Wall” seats, constituencies that were for decades taken for granted by Labour. Be mindful that the East of England, with 52 Conservative MPs and around 25,000 members, is currently a “Blue Wall”; but we should be careful not to take it for granted in the same way. The Eastern Powerhouse is an independent, member funded organisation that aims to promote the East of England at home and abroad. Please work with us and make sure that the East is part of your plan to build and grow the UK economy. Sincerely yours, James Palmer Chair, Eastern Powerhouse You can download the full version of the letter below:

The Eastern Powerhouse has sent a letter to both of the final two candidates in the Conservative Leadership race. The aim being to ensure that either of the possible future Prime Ministers acknowledges the significance of the East to their campaign, and the country. TO: The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP Dear Mr Sunak, Congratulations on successfully making it to the final two in the contest to become the next leader of the Conservative party. I am following up on the first letter I sent to all candidates in the race, to introduce the Eastern Powerhouse. This is the second letter you have received from the Eastern Powerhouse, which aims to promote the East of England nationally and internationally as the UK’s centre for innovation. We strongly believe that the East is set to become one of the most important centres globally in life science, technology, agritech and energy and we urge you, were you to become Prime Minister to support investment here as part of your plan to grow the economy. The recent Levelling Up White Paper completely overlooked the opportunities the East has to offer. Sensible investment here would grow the economy by up to £30bn per annum, allowing for more opportunities to invest across the rest of the country, yet the East is seemingly dismissed by Whitehall as an agricultural backwater. As future Prime Minister, I hope that you will see the potential here and work with us to significantly raise the profile of the region. Recent government policy has centred on the Arc between Oxford, Cambridge, and London but it is clear that by failing to look East of Cambridge the government is missing out on potentially the biggest opportunity for economic growth in the UK. Linking Europe’s most successful tech centre, Cambridge, with the burgeoning economies of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, would build a UK tech cluster to rival any in the world. Silicon East should be at the heart of government policy, and the east as a whole should be considered as central, rather than peripheral, to the government’s aims. As you aim to bring down inflation and raise finance for public services, please consider the East as central to, rather than peripheral to your national policy. The Conservative party has made significant gains in the former “Red Wall” seats, constituencies that were for decades taken for granted by Labour. Be mindful that the East of England, with 52 Conservative MPs and around 25,000 party members, is currently a “Blue Wall”; but we should be careful not to take it for granted in the same way. The Eastern Powerhouse is an independent, member funded organisation that aims to promote the East of England at home and abroad. Please work with us and make sure that the East is part of your plan to build and grow the UK economy. Sincerely yours, James Palmer Chair, Eastern Powerhouse You can download the full version of the letter below:

"Linking the economies of the East of England together through strategic investment in transport, telecommunications, and tech could supercharge growth and create more jobs and opportunities across the country. We cannot afford to continue underestimating Norwich – or indeed the East of England as a whole." Chloe Smith MP Event overview Our fifth networking event, held this time in Norwich, successfully connected local businesses and wider stakeholders, and fostered a meaningful conversation on the needs of the area. Please see the below video for a snapshot of the event: Media coverage The event received a strong suite of media coverage, something we believe will only support the pursuit of our ambitions further. In the Eastern Daily Press article, linked below, Chloe Smith's aspirations for Norwich and the wider East express themselves as the desire to see large scale infrastructure projects being used to lay the groundwork for development in the region. She also recognised the way in which Eastern Powerhouse would be contributing to fulfilling these aspirations. Read the Eastern Daily Press article In the Politics.co.uk article, linked below, several of the Eastern Powerhouse's key arguments are highlighted. That the return on investment for money spent in the East is proportionally greater than anywhere else in the country. For more information, please take a look at the article. Read the Politics.co.uk article To the right: Our Chair James Palmer speaking with Look East about our organisation and its objectives from the Norwich event. To the left: Our Chair James Palmer speaking with Radio Norfolk about our Norwich Event and explaining what our organisation is and what it aims to achieve. To the right: Chloe Smith MP for Norwich North, who was our guest speaker and host, speaking with Radio Norfolk about our organisation, the Norwich Event and her belief in what we're trying to achieve. Chloe Smith MP gave an enthused keynote speech in which she conveyed her belief in our projects ambitions and an alignment with its goals. She recognised, as we do, the strength in the dynamism of the East's economy, and emphasised how focussing on infrastructure may lay the groundwork for future development. We are immensely appreciative of the support of local MPs, which creates an aspiration on the type of relationship we would like to build between Government, stakeholders and the Eastern Powerhouse.

Norwich Networking Event Overview Norwich is the county town of Norfolk. It is the main employment, administrative, education, recreational, leisure, retail, arts, and cultural centre for the county. The city is the fulcrum of economic growth for the region and its wider rural hinterland, a role it has provided for over a thousand years. Like many other cities in the UK, Norwich is ‘under-bounded’. This means that the wider urban area, which most people would describe and recognise as the ‘City of Norwich’ extends far beyond the local authority boundary and the city council’s governance. Norwich is defined, in public policy terms, by many different geographies including: the city council local authority area (population 143,135); the Primary Urban Area (population 213,166); the Greater Norwich area, made up of the city and the districts of Broadlands and South Norfolk (population 406,000); and the Travel to Work Area (population 471,330). Figure 1: Travel to work areas in Norfolk Source: ONS, 2016 The Norwich Travel to Work Area (TTWA) expands the functional reach of the city’s economic geography. The majority of those who travel in and out of Norwich for work live within Greater Norwich with the largest proportion of commuters travelling into the city from South Norfolk and Broadland. The urban area of Norwich is a major employment centre, providing almost two-thirds of all jobs across the TTWA. The economy The City of Norwich, as defined by the local authority boundary, is home to more than 98,000 jobs and more than 6,400 businesses, with almost 50% of all jobs based in large companies. The majority of high value industries cluster in the city core including businesses that specialise in finance and business services, the creative sector, media and publishing, and production and manufacturing respectively. Norwich has been identified by Tech Nation as an early-stage cluster, with potential across a range of tech sectors. Additionally, there are in the wider urban area of Norwich, concentrations of high value employment in sectors which are forecast to drive growth nationally - health science and food technologies, and advanced manufacturing. This area also contains some of the largest commercial developments and institutional assets in the region including the Norwich Research Park and Hethel Engineering Centre, Rackheath, and Broadland Business Park, and the University of East Anglia, which supplies the local economy with some of the most talented labour, with graduates in a range of subjects including computer science, software engineering and film, television and media studies. Prior to the pandemic Norwich had been one of the fastest growing cities in the UK, performing strongly on a range of economic indicators, including productivity and job growth. The city’s economy is diverse and resilient with below average closures and a number of key strengths with significant potential to make an increasingly important contribution to the Regional and National economy. Norwich has a high job density ratio (1.01) compared with the region (0.85) and nationally (0.84). However, business stock, and new formation, per 10,000 population, lag the national average and many other cities. The biggest positive change in business numbers by industry over the past decade has been in the most knowledge intensive sectors, where one in every five workers are currently employed. The wider area is also a major centre for energy development and production which can help to utilise and diversify existing sector specialisms. These include supply chain opportunities in the world’s largest market for offshore wind energy, the decommissioning of offshore gas platforms, construction, engineering and maintenance opportunities in the building of Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station. Quality of life and affordability The City of Norwich is one of the most desirable places to live in the UK, the result of amenities and services that make a place attractive to live and work in. These include factors such as the historic character of the town centre, the quality of housing, access to good jobs, a strong retail and leisure offer. These are important attributes in attracting and retaining skilled labour, including graduates. The city is also a hub for education and the arts based around the City College, Easton College and the Norwich University of the Arts. These institutions are critical to supplying the city with a skilled labour force as knowledge-intensive and technology firms play an increasing role in the local economic area. Norwich University of the Arts provides a strong supply of graduates in video games art, design, digital photography, and film. House prices are in line with the national average and less than many other places in London and the Greater Southeast. However, with a house price to earnings ratio of 10 times greater than the average annual wage, housing is still unaffordable for too many, while the overall stock of housing across the urban area increased by less than 1% in the last year. This will be a key challenge in attracting and retaining young professionals and wealth creators. Challenges and opportunities 1. Creating the conditions for fast growth Norwich is the clear knowledge driver in the Norfolk economy, more closely aligned with the knowledge-based industries of Cambridge than the wider county, with established economic assets and networks. But there is scope to attract more businesses to Norwich, particular given the desirability of the city and the quality of its amenities. The city needs to secure a bigger share of these high value services which are currently underrepresented. Competition between the city’s core and its peripheral areas needs to be mitigated to avoid a hollowing out of the city centre, which is a risk to forming the dense business eco-systems essential to city growth. A devolution deal for Norfolk should recognise the importance of the city in driving productive growth for the benefit of the wider economy. To achieve this, the political and economic structures of the region will need to be aligned to make the most of Norwich’s assets and fully deliver the growth potential within the urban economy. Strategic linkage must be created between local government, academic and research institutions, and the indigenous business base. This will be crucial in driving up innovation and productivity. The Norwich Town Deal will make the city core more attractive and support the delivery of jobs, homes, skills, and action to reduce carbon emissions. Projects will build on industry strengths to develop new start-up and grow-on space for digital businesses in Norwich (e.g. The Digital Hub), and creating key technologically-enabled learning environments to support advanced engineering and manufacturing, sustainable transport, advanced construction and digital technologies (e.g. The Ace Centre). The regeneration of east Norwich will also create a sustainable and ambitious new urban quarter, that could provide up to 4,000 new homes and around 4,000 new jobs – potentially making it the largest development opportunity in the east of England. 2. The workforce and skills to drive economic growth The working age population is forecast for strong growth over the next 22 years, outperforming many comparator cities. Norwich also has a younger population (68.3%) than the regional (60.6%) and national average (62.4%) which bodes well for the productive capacity of the local workforce. Economic activity (86.9%) and employment rates (84.1%) for Norwich are very high and the city has higher rates for both indicators than the regional (81% and 77.9% respectively), and the national averages (78.4% and 74.8%). Norwich has a slightly higher skilled population with 40.2% having a qualification at level 4 or above, compared to the region (39.5%) although it lags the national average (43.5%). The proportion of pupils achieving 9-4 grades in Maths and English at GCSE (71.8%) is broadly in line with the national average (72.2%) and above most other urban areas in the UK. Low skills are contributing to a relatively low waged economy, with resident earnings (£601.4) below the regional (£628.6) and national average (£628.6), although a comparison with workplace earnings (£600.7) does not suggest significantly higher wages benefiting those travelling into the city for work. Norwich performs particularly poorly for social mobility with an overall ranking of 294th out of 324 local authority areas in 2017. However, the position is improving following the social mobility campaign launched by Chloe Smith MP, which resulted in Norwich being designated an Opportunity Area. Raising educational performance and overall skill levels through wider participation in higher education is an important factor in addressing problems of social mobility as well as the growth and competitiveness of local firms. 3. Transport and connectivity The strategic direction of the Norwich economy is necessarily different than that of the surrounding districts. Norwich anchors the eastern end of the east-west rail link, connecting to the fast growth corridor of Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford. The prospects for future economic growth in Norwich point to greater connectivity out of the county, south and westwards. High quality connections between the city of Norwich, its strategic growth areas, and markets beyond Norfolk are vital to future economic growth. The city centre has good rail links to London, Cambridge and Stansted and there is ambition for further improvements. These include faster journeys and higher frequencies to link further afield to the Midlands and north of England. East-west Road connections can be slow and unreliable. Improvement to connectivity between Cambridge and Norwich is needed to promote growth and to maximise the benefits that can be achieved along this corridor. As well as better connections to places further afield, investment in key infrastructure that serve the city, such as the A47 and the Northern Distributor Route (NDR) is needed to improve connectivity to major employment areas like the University of East Anglia/Norwich Research Park/hospital area, Broadland Business Park and the city centre. The announcement of over £32 million from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund to overhaul local transport links in Norwich, will transform how residents use and access the city. This will improve and develop important local transport links, including a new bus interchange at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital which will help to improve what has been a congestion hotspot for motorists. Further proposals include improvements to cycle and pedestrian crossing facilities as well as more efficient and reliable bus services to help improve journey times, cut pollution, and boost the local economy by giving residents greater access to jobs and services. Summary Norwich is a success story. It is a vibrant city with a thriving economy and cultural scene. But as with any city, it has some challenges. These issues include poor educational attainment and low skills, with considerable inequalities between different parts of the city and the wider urban area. If Norwich is to achieve its ambition to be a fast growth knowledge economy in the heart of East Anglia, it will need to level up outcomes for the resident population while continuing to attract talent from outside the city.

The Eastern Powerhouse has sent a letter to candidates in the Conservative Party Leadership race, signposting the East of England as a key area for any future Prime Minister to consider. You can find the full text of the letter, below: TO: All Conservative Party Leadership candidates. Dear Candidate, My sincerest congratulations on putting yourself forward to become the Leader of the Conservative Party and, by extension, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Eastern Powerhouse represents almost 7 million people who live in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, a geographic area that has produced no less than 52 Conservative MP’s. We are the 4th largest economy in the UK and home to some of the most innovative and dynamic businesses in the country. Despite this, in terms of investment the East has often been short-changed in comparison to other UK regions, with government spending in the area per capita being around half the national average. I hope that as the new Prime Minister, you will work with us to address this issue. The opportunity here to grow the UK economy by investing in the East is not insignificant. Sensible investment could see the economy grow by at least £30bn per annum, offering a whopping £11.5bn boost to Her Majesty`s Treasury. The East is home to Europe’s largest and most successful tech and life science centre at Cambridge, yet government plans to create a ‘silicon East’ have never materialised. The Eastern Powerhouse could work with you to grow the technology- based industries in the East by improving transport and communication links between emerging sectors in Norwich, Ipswich, Peterborough, Cambridge and London. The East is also the only part of the UK to have oil, gas, solar, wind and nuclear power and is well- situated to meet the future energy needs of London and the West Midlands. We could help you create a green energy policy for the East utilising the untapped. Capacity for carbon storage in empty oil and gas wells in the North Sea. The advantages in Green energy growth in the East could see home-grown hydrogen production capabilities in the East, combined with the ability to pipe hydrogen directly into London. With a new project set to be announced later this year, which will include a tidal energy scheme capable of generating enough electricity to power 600, 000 homes, the East is well positioned to become the key energy provider for the whole country. New agricultural technologies are set to play a vital role in food production in the coming years. Some of the most fertile and productive land in the country is in the East, and strategic investment could leverage this to help the UK move on from its current dependency on high levels of low paid employment in agriculture. As technology advances, government must be ready to seize the new opportunities presented by a fully modernised agricultural sector. The Eastern Powerhouse can work with you to deliver a strategy that will capitalize on these trends, advantage of the natural resources the East has, and tying them in with the latest advances in science and tech. My humble request to you is this: when you are discussing the future of the United Kingdom - and in particular, the levelling up agenda -, please ensure that the East of England is no longer simply passed by over (as it has been historically). The potential of the region is such that it should be at the heart of any UK policy aimed at growing the economy, developing this country`s infrastructure, and levelling the playing-field between regions. 'Investment in the East would show a greater return for the whole of the UK than an equivalent amount of investment in any other region, allowing Government and the Treasury to bank more money for future investments. The Eastern Powerhouse has been formed to promote the East nationally and internationally as a single, interconnected region. We will work with government to put the case for the East forward however we can, and we hope you will join us in this cause in your campaign to become the next Prime Minister. Sincerely yours, James Palmer Chair Eastern Powerhouse E: james@easternpowerhouse.uk You can download the full version of the letter below:

The Eastern Powerhouse has sent a letter to SoS Kwasi Kwarteng at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy outlining our concerns about decisions relating to energy production in the East, and the need for a dedicated Eastern Energy Strategy. You can find the full text of the letter, below: TO: SoS Kwasi Kwarteng MP Dear Secretary of State Kwarteng, I am writing to you with significant concerns regarding the current lack of a clear and coherent energy plan for the East of England. The latest delay on a decision on Sizewell C - the proposed 3.2-gigawatt nuclear plant in Suffolk which could be a vital lynchpin in the East`s promising energy sector - is symptomatic of a broader pattern of missed opportunities when it comes to the East. As the only part of the UK to have oil, gas, solar, wind and nuclear power, as well as a soon to be announced opportunity for tidal power, the East is in a unique position to provide the necessary energy to power both London and the West Midlands. Through our green energy production, the ability to make, store and pipe hydrogen directly into London should be at the heart of the UK’s energy plan. There is also a significant opportunity to store carbon in the many empty oil and gas fields in the North Sea, a possibility which I do not believe has been adequately explored by government. The East of England is a designated region of the UK, with a population of 6 million. It has the 4th largest economy, but continually lacks government investment and is often overlooked or simply lumped in with the Southeast. Yet the East has the ability to deliver significantly more to UKPLC through its network of excellent business sectors, provided it receives the strategic and targeted investment it needs. I urge you to work with the Eastern Powerhouse to deliver an energy strategy for the East of England that takes advantage of our natural resources and delivers for the UK. Sincerely yours, James Palmer Chair Eastern Powerhouse E: james@easternpowerhouse.uk You can download the full version of the letter below:

Minister for Transport Wendy Morton MP responded to the Eastern Powerhouse letter to SoS Grant Shapps, regarding funding concerns over the Ely North Junction. You can find the full response below:

Overview Huntingdonshire is the largest district in Cambridgeshire. Based around the four market towns of Huntingdon, Ramsey, St Ives, and St Neots, linked to a large number of villages, hamlets, and isolated dwellings across 80 parishes. Huntingdon, the historic ‘county’ town, is approximately mid-way between Cambridge and Peterborough on the A14 and has a mainline train station with direct links to London and the north. Population Huntingdonshire has a population of 178,000 equally distributed between rural and urban settlements. The population is slightly older than average, with 14.8% of the district’s residents over 70 compared to 13.4% nationally. Health and life expectancy are better than average, with 84.5% describing their health as ‘Very Good’/ ‘Good’ in the 2011 Census. Economy Huntingdonshire is more than a dormitory district for neighbouring authorities. It has a relatively strong, stable economy worth £10 Billion per annum. Working age residents are more likely to be economically active and more likely to be in employment than average. However, local jobs tend to pay lower wages as reflected in commuting patterns with over a third of employed residents travelling outside the district to work, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. A high proportion of local employment is linked to the manufacturing industry at nearly 15% compared to a national average of just over 8%, supporting over 10,500 manufacturing jobs – 12% of the workforce. This sector is responsible for £2.7 Billion of economic output per year. Alongside a sizable representation in construction, utilities and wholesale sectors Huntingdonshire also has a diverse breadth of innovative, higher value industries including world class design, research and development, with a 20% increase of Knowledge Intensive businesses since 2013. The area is home to a multitude of international businesses including the likes of ABB, Bosch, Hotel Chocolat and Xaar as well as thriving base of small to medium size enterprises. Challenges and opportunities 1. Place development The local authority is currently developing a place strategy that considers the unique features of location, future growth, and technological advancements that will impact on how Huntingdonshire functions as a place to live and work. This will be important in connecting disparate parts of the county to one another and to the wider region. There is considerable scope for the future development of innovative business growth with a number of business parks in the district. The Alconbury Enterprise Campus, located between the global innovation hub of Cambridge and the environmental services cluster of Peterborough, provides the space for cutting-edge manufacturers and low carbon companies to locate and grow. This will help provide the sites and premises for expansion of new spin-outs and company start-ups from Cambridge University/Science Park and its unique cluster of the technology firms, as well as the housing development that will allow people to access affordable homes and employment opportunities along this route. Alconbury is also part of a wider development which includes plans for homes, schools, retail, and community facilities as well as a major transport hub. This will help to take the pressure off overheated parts of the housing market to provide accessible, affordable housing in the region. Last year, Huntingdon, with average house prices of £300k and within 1 hour of St Pancras, was named as one of the top five towns Londoners should move to by the London housing assembly. The integrated place strategy will articulate the ambitions and aspirations of residents and businesses to improve declining high streets and town centres across the district. The successful bid for the Future High Street Fund to invest in St Neots is an ambitious programme to regenerate a number of local places in the town centre, providing greater access to the riverside, improving the public realm and visitor experience. Programmes for the other three towns will also be developed. 2. Skills and education Huntingdonshire has a relatively lower skilled population, compared to the region and nationally. The working age population with high level qualifications (NVQ4 and above) is low (37.6%) compared with the East (39.5%) and nationally (43.5%). Low skills are contributing to a relatively low waged economy, with earnings (£589.20) below the regional (628.60) and national average (613.10). In addition to the Huntingdon campus of the Cambridge Regional College, the new Anglia Ruskin University, which opens in Peterborough this September, will help to improve the skills of the local workforce to meet local economic needs. The challenge for Huntingdonshire will be to understand the gaps in provision and the educational cold spots where residents cannot easily access the assess training they need. This provision will need to be aligned with the specific skill needs of local businesses and ensure a better match between the supply and demands for skills training including upskilling and reskinning requirements in the major industries of the local economy. 3. Transport and connectivity Beyond its physical geography, the district has three distinct economic geographies - Greater Cambridge, Greater Peterborough, and the Fens. But it also sits within the OxCam Arc, home to 2 million jobs and £111 Billion of Economic Output. Greater connectivity between its constituent parts and along growth corridors will be vital to future prosperity. Huntingdonshire has strong transport connections via road and rail connectivity with fast links to London, the Midlands, the North, east coast ports and more locally to Cambridge and Peterborough. The completion of the new A14, has the potential to power further economic growth, moving goods more quickly while freeing up the new A1307 for local traffic, which will help serve business parks in St Ives, Godmanchester and Huntingdon. The planned upgrade to the A428 extension, designed to improve journeys from Milton Keynes to Cambridge sits within the development area of the CAM-OX ARC. The next stage of the A141 at St Ives will further improve road infrastructure. However, stronger road networks fuel dependency on car travel. Longer term capacity improvements to local public transport are needed to support access to opportunities in the local economy as well as improved active transport routes for walking and cycling. Improved connectivity in public transport can not only help more residents access higher paid employment in Huntingdonshire and the wider region but it can also ease the negative and environmentally damaging effects of congestion. The decision by the Mayoral Combined Authority to scrap the Cambridge Autonomous Metro will require an alternative proposal for a fully integrated, greener, countywide transport system, while threats to the CAM-OX-ARC project will also limit development in this direction. Plans for a major new road, the Expressway, linking the two cities were dropped in 2021, although the East-West rail link is still going ahead. Advancing digital infrastructure will also be important to business growth, underpinning the whole of economy. Building on the free public WiFi, that has been provided in all four towns with support from Connecting Cambridgeshire, 5G and full fibre must now be the aspiration for the district in all settings to ensure that rural business and homeworkers are not left behind. Summary Huntingdonshire has many features that are attractive to developers both from a commercial and residential perspective, with relatively affordable housing, good road connectivity and a number of high-profile and strategic locations across the district which have the potential to unlock significant economic growth in the region. The ambition to further regenerate town centres and to improve public transport is a priority for the district. It will also be important to develop further linkages to the Cambridge economy and how this interaction can stimulate higher value growth.