In a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps MP, the Chair of the Eastern Powerhouse James Palmer expressed our great concern over recent comments that funding for the Ely North Junction upgrade might be cut. You can find the full text of the letter, below: TO: SoS GRant Shapps MP CC: Minister Wendy Norton MP, Minister Andrew Stephenson MP, PUSoS Baroness Vere, PUSoS Trudy Harrison MP, PUSoS Robert Courts MP 30 June 2022 Dear Secretary of State Shapps, I am writing to you with grave concern regarding a recent letter from Minister Wendy Norton MP. The letter throws doubt on the funding for the upgrade of Ely North Junction, the most egregious rail bottleneck in the East of England. The constriction at Ely North negatively impacts on passenger and freight journeys from all parts of the East, including Felixstowe, Tilbury, Ipswich, Norwich, Kings Lynn, Peterborough and Cambridge. Currently, freight is sent via London from Felixstowe, cutting availability for rail freight at Tilbury. Lack of capacity on the line means ineffective rail services between Peterborough and Cambridge (and on to Stansted), Ipswich and Cambridge (including Stowmarket and Bury St. Edmunds) and Norwich and Cambridge. The negative effect on the economy, because of restricted growth along the line is tangible. While continuing to stymy the growth of the Cambridge economy, it also creates unnecessary additional heat in the Cambridge property market. Railfuture have described Ely North as “the East of England’s highest transport investment priority” for the following reasons: for the major East Anglian settlements of Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and Colchester their only rail route to the Midlands and North is via Ely passenger growth over the last 20 years has driven an increase in demand for the number of services passing through the junctions future growth both in the size of existing settlements and the planned location of new settlements in the region will see this trend continue the dramatic growth in global trade through the Port of Felixstowe, and the pressure to ‘decarbonise’ this strategic link between the southern ports and the main centres of demand in the Midlands, the North and Scotland, will accelerate this trend as rail becomes progressively more competitive with road over long distances. Fulfilling these growth ambitions is not possible with the present layout which limits capacity through single lead junctions and the conflicting nature of freight flows (on a south-east : north-west axis) with the majority of other services passing through Ely. The East of England is the fourth largest regional economy in the UK yet has an extremely poor rail service. This is unacceptable and must be dealt with, starting with Ely North, Soham to Ely and Haughley bottlenecks. Last year, government announced £96bn investment into the North and Midlands, yet in the East, government seem to show little interest at all. Funding for the East/West rail project is not confirmed and now the most vital rail infrastructure improvement in the region is at risk. I urge you to review this decision and invest in the East of England. The Eastern Powerhouse represents businesses across the East of England. We view the East as a single interconnected region and aim to promote the East as a place for investment. We are member led and politically neutral. The East has world leading industries and world class innovators. The economy of the East can and is leading the world in science, technology and green energy, it is time government recognised this potential and invested in the East of England. Ely North would be an appropriate place to start. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss in more detail. Sincerely yours, James Palmer Chair Eastern Powerhouse E: james@easternpowerhouse.uk

Ipswich Networking Event Overview Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk. It is the main employment, administrative, education, recreational, leisure, retail, arts and cultural centre for the county. Population The resident population of the town is just 136,000, although the wider urban area exceeds the boundary of the local authority into surrounding districts increasing the population to over 157,000. However, there are approximately 372,000 living within the Ipswich travel to work area. This covers over half the county and includes Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, 10 miles from Ipswich. Figure 1: Travel to work areas in Suffolk Source: ONS, 2016 Industry Ipswich is the centre of economic activity and employment for surrounding settlements supporting over 80,000 employees, with a combined GVA exceeding £4bn. The town has a strong connection to farming and agricultural manufacturing and is still a functioning port, handling several million tonnes of cargo each year including the largest exports of grain in the UK. However, its largest employers are now in the insurance sector (including AXA and Aon) and BT’s international research base at Adastral Park, with a workforce of over 4,000. New business formation in Ipswich is just above the national average, although business density (the total number of businesses per 10,000 population) is lagging. However, private sector jobs in knowledge intensive business services make up 15% of all employment sectors, above the national average (14%) and this is reflected in higher productivity (£35.8 GVA per hour) and higher patent applications which are about 18 per 100,000 population, above the national average (11). Additionally, there are a number of sectors with the potential for future growth including: tourism and hospitality, arts and culture, green energy, ICT and creative industries, and logistics. Ipswich is well placed to become an attractive place to new businesses and workers, connecting centres of research and development with finance and trade. Quality of life and affordability Ipswich is one of England’s oldest towns with hundreds of listed buildings many of which are concentrated in the town centre. The quality of the built and natural environment provides the basis for an excellent quality of life. Further, house prices are below the national average and considerably more affordable than many other places in London and the Greater Southeast. However, with a house price to earnings ratio of 9 times greater than the average annual wage, many are still unable to get on the property ladder. Plans to build a further 10,500 new homes by 2027 will help to address this problem while attracting inward migration and investment. Challenges and opportunities 1. Town centre For Ipswich to prosper and grow it needs a successful town centre. This means rethinking the meaning and shape of the ‘town centre’ first articulated through the work of the Ipswich Vision Board. The ambition is to develop the town centre around five distinct districts and better connect the historic town centre to the north and dynamic, new Waterfront to build a unique ‘East Anglia Waterfront Town’. Providing high quality commercial, and importantly residential property, in the heart of the town will help cluster economic activity and deliver environmental benefits. Population and economic growth will be achieved through the development of the town centre as a compact, liveable and walkable place rather than through urban sprawl. The concept of the ‘15-Minute City’ is a guiding principle for this model. It prioritises centrality, density, beauty and accessibility. It impacts positively upon the local environment, increases provision, helps to make places healthier and adds to their overall appeal. It can also power local economies, creating greater vibrancy and increased use of shops, bars, cafes, theatres, cinemas, libraries, medical provisions, parks, open spaces and so on. To achieve this, the Ipswich Vision prioritises a town centre developing around the needs of people living and working there and those who want to visit. 2. Skills and employment The unemployment claimant count is higher in Ipswich (4.9%) than the East of England (3.1%) and the UK (3.9%). However, economic activity and employment rates are both higher than the regional and national average. Ipswich has a relatively lower skilled population, compared to the region and nationally. The proportion of pupils achieving 9-4 grades in Maths and English at GCSE (66.4%) is below the national average (72.2%) and most other urban areas in the UK, while the working age population with high level qualifications (NVQ4 and above) is low (37%) compared with the East (39.5%) and nationally (43.5%). Low skills are contributing to a relatively low waged economy, with earnings below the regional and national average, although a comparison of resident earnings (£555.2) and workplace earnings (£556.6) does not suggest significantly higher wages benefiting those travelling into the town for work. Ipswich is also a ‘cold spot’ for participation in higher education. The University of Suffolk, which opened in 2007, will help to improve this picture over time. By widening participation and attracting a diverse student population from non-traditional backgrounds it can both redress skill gaps and shortages in the local workforce, to meet current and future needs, as well as improve social mobility in the area. But there are clearly deeper entrenched problems with educational attainment in schools which will need urgent attention. 3. Transport and connectivity Ipswich is well connected by road (A12/A14) and mainline rail, to London, Norwich, Cambridge and Stanstead airport, which in addition to Felixstowe, provides a gateway to Europe and beyond. The town is also relatively well connected in terms of broadband infrastructure, ranking 14th among all urban areas in the UK. There is, however, a need to improve public transport - a daily net inflow of 7,700 employees into Ipswich is placing increasing strain on travel routes as well as net-zero objectives - and to ensure high quality, superfast, broadband provision. An integrated and modern transportation system, connecting the town centre and the waterfront, significant areas of interest, business and recreation within Ipswich, as well as rapid and reliable connections to wider towns and villages in the travel to work area are needed. Upgrading the rail link between Felixstowe to Nuneaton, will allow Felixstowe to continue its expansion, and reduce the volume of additional road freight on the A14, as well as bringing increased opportunities for Ipswich based business. In addition, Ipswich rail station will benefit from the council’s ‘Transport Fit for the 21st Century’ scheme including upgrades to bus services which will improve the station’s appeal and encourage more people to switch to using public transport. An additional crossing of the river Orwell would also have the potential to ease congestion and allow a more efficient flow of traffic from east to west. Considerable funding is required to deliver these schemes alongside investment and development for overall improvements to the A12 (Southbound towards London and northbound towards Lowestoft) and the A14 towards Cambridge. In addition, significant upgrades to the A12/A14 ‘Interchange’ of East Anglia’s two busiest highways, is urgently needed. These are major infrastructure developments which a ‘County Deal’ should take forward. Summary Ipswich must further capitalise on the benefits that its location offers and improve both the prosperity and prospects of its population, offering new and varied opportunities to those who study, work and visit alongside those who call it home.

Eastern Powerhouse Cambridge Networking Event Overview Cambridge is one of the UK’s most successful cities with a world-class reputation for education, research, and knowledge-based industries, including a thriving cluster of high-technology and bioscience companies based in and around the city. This ongoing and evolving ‘Phenomenon’ which began in the early 1960s and has continued to widen the range of emerging technologies, has become vital to Britain's prosperity and the nation’s ability to compete at an international level. Yet this economic success has come at a cost to many who live in the city and the wider region, with worsening housing affordability issues and widening income inequalities, impacting surrounding areas and making Cambridge the most unequal place to live in the UK. There are areas in the city where over 25% of households are living in poverty. ‘One Cambridge Fair for All’ is the City Council’s manifesto pledge to address the challenges which many people in the city face. But this ambition must also extent to the wider region and how the city can be a force for good growth in the East of England. Population The resident population, of 125,000 is growing and forecast to reach 150,000 by 2031. The demographic profile is younger than the UK and Eastern region (the working age population is 69% in Cambridge compared with 60% in the East and 62% in the UK) and considerably higher skilled (63% of the working age population has a qualification at Level 4 and above, compared with 40% in the East and 44% in the UK). Business growth Cambridge also has a high rate of business formation heavily weighted towards knowledge intensive businesses (KIBs) and the application of ‘deep science’, with the largest share of patent applications in the UK (259 per 100,000 population compared with 18/100,000 nationally). Within 20 miles of Cambridge city centre there are over 5,000 KIBs that were started and are still based in the area accounting for nearly 30% of all employees. These firms, alongside the institutional assets located in the city are responsible for attracting inward investment from international corporations into the region. Challenges and opportunities 1. Future development Cambridge is a small under bounded city with limited space for housing development or employment sites to accommodate further population and business growth. The footprint of the city is expanding - it is estimated that by 2051 Cambridge and South Cambridge, which encircles it, could be the size of Sheffield - but the issue is whether Cambridge and its surrounding areas can manage the strains of further accelerated growth. The demand for housing is outpacing supply. Average houses prices, at 12.4 times greater than the average annual wage, are not affordable to many, including university lecturers. This is forcing people to move further from the city and their workplace. Huntingdonshire has been a net recipient of people moving from Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. But as places gentrify and prices continue to increase, there is a further movement of people northwards to Peterborough, Fenland and South Kesteven. This movement places further strain on transport infrastructure. The number of people who work and live in the city is declining, forcing more than 50,000 workers to commute along already congested transport routes at ever declining speeds. Cambridgeshire has the slowest speeds on A-Roads in the country. Transitioning to a sustainable, low stress-high growth model will be the major challenge. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review identified that if grow on space, and appropriate infrastructure investments for knowledge-based businesses are not provided then these firms will be forced to leave the UK. However, uncertainty over the East-West rail line and the status of the Oxford to Cambridge ARC, the abolition of the metro-system for Cambridge, and further delays to the proposed Cambridge South Station, all threaten this vision for sustained high growth. Meeting these needs must be a priority for the city and the region. This can only be achieved via close cooperation between Cambridge, neighbouring authorities, the Mayoral Combined Authority and national government. 2. Spatial planning It is vitally important that Cambridge continues to function as an international centre for research and innovation. These types of business clustered in and around the city are unique to the UK and can only be found in a small number of places around the world. The growth of these clusters is essential to the region and the UK’s economy and must be developed within the principles of proximity, co-location and agglomeration. The two most significant corridors for Cambridge are the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford Arc, and The UK Innovation Corridor/London– Stansted– Cambridge-Consortium. These reflect existing economic connections and future untapped potential. However, a wider spatial strategy must also consider how places, around Cambridge, which currently don’t benefit from high growth, can do so. The inclusiveness of growth must be a vital spatial consideration in future development. If this is not achieved, inequalities within the city and between different parts of the region will exacerbate. A pattern of development that allows for highly dispersed growth in all directions will not optimise the benefits to the city or the region. What is required, as the Cambridge Futures Work identifies, is a model that can consider the interaction between land use and transportation, to allow for various factors, such as where businesses locate, and where people want to live in. Spatial strategies will need to consider a blended approach to include: Greater densification of housing in the city incorporating high and mid-rise development (Cambridge is currently the least densely populated city in the UK) Development of the city’s urban fringe which can expand and concentrate the cities footprint into the surrounding district (requiring strategic reviews of the greenbelt); and Development along the cities key transport corridors, to focus on developing jobs and housing along transport corridors which radiate out north, south, east and west along bus, tram, or train links that can provide rapid transit between Cambridge and Peterborough, Norwich and Ipswich, while helping to connect smaller market towns and villages in between. 3. Skills and education Cambridge has a highly skilled and qualified population, compared to the region and nationally. The proportion of pupils achieving 9-4 grades in Maths and English at GCSE (81%) is also significantly above the national average (72.2%) and most other cities in the UK. There are, however, areas within the city, and more generally beyond the city, where low skills are contributing to relatively low wages, with earnings below the regional and national average. The government’s agenda to develop new universities in higher education cold spots, like the new Anglia Ruskin University in Peterborough, will help to address this situation. But there is more that can be achieved by ensuring that educational success is not confined or concentrated within a small area, with little observable benefit to those outside of it. Expanding the civic role of the university in Cambridge for the benefit of society, so that it is more rooted in place, and actively seeking to benefit communities beyond its very own, would have a transformational effect on the wider region. Summary Cambridge is already addressing specific challenges in terms of housing, transport congestion and clean air. In the longer term, working with Government, strategies for future economic growth should focus on making the city more affordable for local residents, but also providing tangible opportunities for communities in the wider region so that they too can benefit from high growth in the local economy.

Eastern Powerhouse Peterborough Networking Event Overview Peterborough is the largest of seven cities in the East of England, with a diverse population of over 200,000.[1] The population is growing with a slightly younger demographic profile in comparison to the UK and Eastern region - 40% of the population aged 29 and under compared with 37% in the UK and 35% in the East – and a lower proportion of people aged 65+. Prior to the pandemic, Peterborough had one of the fastest growing local economies in the UK. With a retail catchment of over one million, job density of over one job per working age adult (1.05 compared with 0.85 in the East and 0.84 nationally), and good connectivity (by road and rail to Cambridge and London), Peterborough is an important source of services and employment for people far beyond its city boundaries. The largest employment sectors include retail and wholesale, transport and storage, accommodation, and food services, which are predominantly lower skilled. However, in recent years, Peterborough has emerged as an increasingly innovative economy and is now among the 15 cities with the highest number of business start-ups and patents in the UK. The move towards more, knowledge intensive industries can also be observed when looking at the makeup of its industrial structure, with five high performing business sectors including – advanced engineering & manufacturing, agri-tech, food & drink, digital & creative, energy & environment and financial services. Growth in economic output (GVA: £6,607m in 2018) is above the regional and national average, while economic activity rates (79.5%) and productivity (GVA per hour) are broadly in line with the national average. Peterborough is also an affordable place to live and do business, with a house price to earnings ratio of 7.16, compared to 10 nationally, and the average cost of Grade A office space currently around £13.50 per sqft, the second lowest within a 50-minute commute of London. However, like much of the country, Peterborough has not escaped the economic damage done by the pandemic and will need further support for people and businesses as the economy seeks to recover from this downturn while adjusting to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the challenges that this will present to recruitment and trade. Challenges and opportunities 1. City centre development Peterborough has ambitions plans for the continued regeneration of the city centre. This consists of a number of identified development sites and several key transport and infrastructure projects that will be critical to meeting the needs of the city’s rapidly growing population. The city currently has a high share of retail space in its centre but like many other places needs to respond to the changing demands on this sector and to realise a different vision for how the city centre is used. Peterborough currently has a very low share of office space and city centre living. Providing high quality residential and commercial property in the heart of the city, and additional cultural and leisure attractions, will be vital to attracting new wealth creators and skilled talent to the region, as well as increasing business and holiday visits. Peterborough’s £22.9m Towns Fund will be used to boost the city with a wealth of cultural, health and wellbeing and tourism improvements, including: New and improved visitor and cultural attractions, including the new library and cultural hub, a national Bronze Age Museum, and a new fitness and sports centre with an Olympic grade climbing facility. Increased commercial space in the Station Quarter for businesses that want rapid connectivity to London. Improved enterprise and skills infrastructure, including enterprise training and business incubation hubs. Enhanced public realm, reduced road traffic, increased public transport use, green spaces and cycle lanes as part of the vision for a Future Green City. 2. Skills and education Peterborough has a relatively lower skilled population, compared to the region and nationally. The proportion of pupils achieving 9-4 grades in Maths and English at GCSE (63.5%) is below the national average (72.2%) and most other cities in the UK, while the working age population with high level qualifications (NVQ4 and above) is low (36%) compared with the East (39.5%) and nationally (43.5%). Low skills are contributing to a relatively low waged economy, with earnings below the regional and national average. A comparison of resident earnings (£565.5) and workplace earnings (£569.50) suggest that higher paid jobs, are benefiting those travelling into the city for work. The new Anglia Ruskin University, which opens in September this year, is designed to improve the skills of the local workforce to meet local economic needs. It will deliver practical solutions to the acute shortage of degree-level employees in the workforce, including in-work training, apprenticeships, distance learning and outreach. By widening participation and attracting a diverse student population from non-traditional backgrounds, it will both redress the skills gap and improve social mobility in an area that has been a long-term higher education ‘cold spot’. 3. The fast growth corridor Peterborough, along with Cambridge and Norwich, is a member of the Fast Growth Cities group which contains some of the UK’s most successful cities. It is important that Peterborough continues to function as a regional employment hub and innovation centre. However, its future is also linked to the development of a ‘golden triangle’ in the East and the links to Norwich and particularly Cambridge which already attracts over 60% of its workforce from the surrounding area. Improved connectivity in public transport can help more Peterborough residents access higher paid employment in Cambridge. However, development along the A1(M)/A14, including housing and employment sites, will help to increase the agglomeration effects of these two cities, which can be transformative for the East of England. 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. This fast growth corridor will help connect towns and villages - places like Huntingdon, Yaxley, Ramsey, and Northstowe - so that the benefits of growth can be diffused across the region, without overconcentrating development in particular locations making them unaffordable for lower income households. Summary Peterborough is already addressing specific challenges in terms of low skills attainment and economic recovery from Covid19. In the longer term, working with Government, the support for Peterborough’s future economic growth should focus on providing the resident workforce with better skills and education opportunities, while continuing to attract high-skilled, high-paying businesses into the city, and building more homes to increase affordability in the city. Peterborough, together with other fast growth cities, has a crucial role to play in driving economic growth in the region and the UK. Shailesh Vara MP “Peterborough is a key employment centre for the region. The city’s economy has grown impressively over the past decade, with the ongoing regeneration of the town centre adding to the city’s appeal. We need to ensure that the city, and the region generally, continues to grow and attract all levels of employment, including new high paid and semi-skilled jobs. Peterborough has huge potential which we need to utilise, and this is helped by its strategic location in terms of road and rail routes to other key areas in the country. As the city expands, it is important that the benefits reach the outer areas of the city, as well as it’s connected towns and villages.” James Palmer, Chair, Eastern Powerhouse “Peterborough is an ambitious and forward-thinking city that has a crucial role to play in driving development across the UK. However, at present the city faces two key barriers to its success: the economic damage wrought by Covid 19 on the one hand, and lower than average skills attainment on the other. Recent initiatives like the regeneration of the city centre, improved connectivity in public transport, and the founding of a new Anglia Ruskin university campus, are a fighting start in addressing these issues. The Eastern Powerhouse applauds these efforts, and our hope is that by offering a platform where new solutions can be formulated and honed, our partnership could play a small yet vital role in helping Peterborough achieve its full potential”. [1] Cambridge (population 124,798)‎, Chelmsford (178,388)‎, Ely (20,112), Norwich (143,135)‎, Peterborough (202,259)‎, Southend-on-Sea (183,125), St Albans‎ (82,146 ).

The government’s flagship policy to level-up England’s regions took centre stage in today's Queen’s Speech. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill aims to spread opportunity more equally across the UK. This is critical to the East of England where many rural areas, coastal towns and villages face significant economic challenges. But much more is needed, according to the leading voice for growth, investment and connectivity in the region, the Eastern Powerhouse. The lack of directly elected leaders is an obstacle to progress, according to Eastern Powerhouse Chairman, James Palmer: “For too long the East of England has been left behind and overlooked. The significant untapped potential of the East of England and what it can contribute to the UK economy has been grossly underestimated. Local leaders must work collaboratively to raise the profile of the whole region and show the ambition to make this region the economic powerhouse we know it can be. Strengthening local accountability via directly elected leaders, such as mayors, is a necessary measure to wrestle power away from central government and achieve the best possible devolution deal for the region.” The East of England is losing out to other parts of the UK. It has received 40% less Levelling Up funding than other regions, which are also benefiting from a much larger 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, below the UK average of £737, with overall expenditure on buses the lowest of all English regions. Additionally, the East has the lowest health spend per capita in the UK (£2,974 compared with £3,271 nationally) and a lower-than-average education spend (£1,357 compared with £1.428). Businesses, MPs and local government in the East are determined to work collectively to ensure the region benefits more equitably from the levelling up programme. The Eastern Powerhouse was formally launched in March to make the case for investment in the region and unlock the many opportunities for growth. It is badly needed, according to the Director of the Eastern Powerhouse and the ResPublica think tank, Phillip Blond: "The Government lacks a coherent plan for economic growth, it has targets and missions but no direction or sense of priority or indeed resource. Instead of a scattergun approach, aiming at disadvantage and all too often missing the target, we need a regional approach that links place, opportunity and investment. Levelling up requires making the best of everything everywhere, and that needs radical devolution, not just to particular places but to whole regions." Stronger local and regional leadership is critical. Importantly the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill makes provision to strengthen legislation in order to expand devolution deals to more places in England. Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils have already been invited as part of the first wave of authorities to negotiate new county deals, with the aim to agree a deal by this autumn. Says James Palmer: "It is vital that these deals are agreed and implemented as soon as possible, with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution currently on offer. This needs to include greater control over transport funding and the powers to identify key transport networks that are so important to connecting the region’s growth hubs and economic assets." This will also mean adopting the government’s preferred model for directly elected ‘mayors’ or ‘governors’. Says Phillip Blond: "Anything less will undermine ambition and disadvantage the region, at the same time as other parts of the country, which already have Mayoral Combined Authorities, deepen their devolution deals and continue to forge ahead with their pan-regional agendas. Cities in the North and Midlands have already received billion-pound settlements to support their sustainable transport projects, while the spending review has identified an additional £96bn for the Integrated Rail Plan in the North and Midlands”. Decisions on Mayoral Combined Authorities reside with local government, although legislative changes to reduce the two-thirds majority currently required for a council to agree a deal may tempt areas to go for the directly-elected leader model. Despite this, UK businesses are unequivocal in their support for business-friendly devolution deals and directly elected mayors. Both the British Chamber and CBI have widely welcomed the accountability of an elected figurehead in Mayoral Combined Authorities. As the leading voice of business and civic leadership across the East of England, the Eastern Powerhouse is also hoping to see a similar approach for future county deals. The economic dividends for the region are considerable. Levelling up transport, health, education, and skills, will boost GDP by tens of billions of pounds each year. It has been estimated that, if the East of England were able to level up to the Southeast (excluding London), it would deliver an extra £31.2bn a year in GDP for the national economy. That would mean a £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. Regional Priorities The Eastern Powerhouse is working with member business to identify regional economic priorities and remove barriers to growth. Partner at Carter Jonas, William Rooke, highlights three priorities: "Investment in rail infrastructure, especially the Cambridge to Ipswich line to improve connectivity with the necklace towns of Cambs and Suffolk Designating Life Science uses as critical to national infrastructure to allow the release of sustainable development sites in the green belt for high quality campus developments around Cambridge, along with associated affordable residential accommodation Establishing a green-tech hub along the A11 between Cambridge and Norwich, with funding available to invest in renewable energy businesses and business rates rebates to firms developing technology supportive of independent renewable energy policy" CEO of the Eastern Colleges Group, Nikos Savvas, prioritises better links between skills providers and employers: “The desire to improve education outcomes should always be applauded, and the recently published education white paper entitled Opportunity For All outlines the educational priorities that underpin the levelling up agenda. What is critical, however, is that 'levelling up' does not mean 'cutting off'. We need to ensure that better outcomes are not just about grades for grades sake, but lead to genuinely enhanced life chances. The link between the education sector and employers is vital to this, and needs to be further strengthened so there are clear pathways for our brilliant young people to drive forward our businesses and economies, and in turn their own opportunities.” Managing Director of Atomic Acquisitions and Chair of Institute of Directors, East of England, Biplab Rakshi, highlights the region’s economic advantages: "The foundations of levelling up should be based on economic growth. For businesses in the region this means addressing near term issues like cost of energy, employee retention, skills development. The Eastern region has some of the best academic institutions and, due to proximity to other markets, makes us ideal to develop sectors like AI and other technologies which will be the future of UK prosperity.” The Eastern Powerhouse is holding a series of regional conferences and seminars in May, June and July to better define regional economic priorities and bring these urgently to the attention of Government. Details can be found here: https://www.easternpowerhouse.uk/events Notes for Editors: The Eastern Powerhouse is a business-led organisation that is making the strategic argument for investment in the East of England. It platforms the whole of the East as a single interconnected region, encompassing its coastal towns, rural villages and world-class cities. It showcases the region’s untapped potential and aims to unlock opportunities for growth. Ultimately, it will lead to greater prosperity for people in the East of England. For more information, call Jonathan Horsman on 07880 786582

Closing date: Monday, 18 April 2022 Salary: £25k to £30k depending on experience We are particularly interested in candidates based in the East of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Greater Peterborough, Lincolnshire, Essex, Bedfordshire). We offer flexible working arrangements to accommodate personal/family needs, including the option for part-time work. Job Description We are recruiting for a well-organised, enthusiastic, and confident individual to take on the challenge of helping us deliver our demanding events schedule. It is an exciting time for us, with two major projects well under-way: The Eastern Powerhouse and the Lifelong Education Commission. The successful candidate will be heavily involved in both, to ensure smooth delivery of events and activities. The Events and Office Administrator will play an essential role in our small team, organising and managing events and assisting with the general efficient running of the operation. We are looking for proactive and personable individual with excellent organisational skills to help drive forward our policy agenda. This is an exciting role, with opportunities for career growth and development within our small, but high-profile, organisation. Candidate Profile Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and accuracy Ability to work well under pressure to targets and deadlines Experience in running events, both in-person and virtual Excellent communication skills: you should be comfortable speaking to high profile people over the phone, and producing formal letters and emails Proactive, agile, and resourceful Experience with or aptitude for digital tools and platforms (Word, Excel, Eventbrite, Zoom, etc.) Experience of collaborative team working Responsibilities Events Support Assisting with the overall organisation of events (report launches, panel debates, roundtables, seminars, dinners) Assisting with bookings of event venues, AV, catering, staff travel, and accommodation Supporting the Head of External Affairs with securing speakers, and drafting event briefs Supporting the event promotion and marketing functions Providing on-the-day event support with registration, logistics, networking, etc. Office Support Providing diary management support to two senior colleagues Providing administrative project support (keeping and updating outreach and contact lists, liaising on payments, etc.) Ensure the smooth running of internal meetings Application method: To apply, please send the following to jobs@respublica.org.uk for the Attention of Mike Mavrommatis, Head of External Affairs: A cover letter, summarising why you fit the person specification and why you are interested in this position A tailored and up-to-date CV

On Tuesday 15 March, the Eastern Powerhouse was officially launched at an evening reception in Westminster, in the company of 100+ leading businesspeople, politicians, and journalists from across the East of England. Each came with their own brilliant ideas about how to move the region forward, and it was a pleasure to see so much enthusiasm for a project which is only now taking its first steps. From the many invigorating discussions that took place during the evening, the key takeaway seems to be that East of England is much bigger than the sum of its parts – but that until now it has lacked the medium to realise its own importance. This tendency to underestimate the power of the East – common amongst both outsiders and also the people that live there – is of course not due to incompetence or a lack of ambition. Rather, it is the result of many Easterners struggling to conceptualise what their shared interests are, or that such interests even exist. At present, local areas in the region generally do not collaborate, combine resources, or work together to achieve a common goal. This is a real shame, as the benefits to be gained from working ‘beyond one`s patch’ are incalculable in terms of innovation, productivity, ideas, and skills are incalculable. In other words, the East is not yet used to thinking regionally. Our inability to talk to one another has marooned our many cities, towns and villages, on their own separate islands; locked in fruitless competition with their neighbours rather than working with common purpose. As George Freeman MP said in his eloquent speech, we cannot afford to keep working in silos. Instead, what we need is a joined-up approach; one which links the East`s infrastructure and scattered economic clusters together into one interconnected entity. The Eastern Powerhouse will aim to do just that. By gathering members from across the full geographic scope of the region, we will create a platform for the major players of the East to gather together and hammer-out a “business plan for the East”. Properly connecting local areas together will also mean growth in places like Cambridge can spread widely, improving the lives of people in Peterborough, Wisbech, the Fens, our coastal towns, and more. The Eastern Powerhouse also represents a unique opportunity for the UK as a whole. Regional approaches have been wildly successful in other places in Europe, however as a country we have tended to not do this well. A regional success-story in the East could reverse this trend, leading the UK towards a more polycentric and evenly balanced economy. If discussions at launch underlined anything, it's that success in the East does not have to be a zero-sum game. What’s good for one town is good for the wider region; what’s good for the region is good for the country; and what’s good for the nation is good for the world. To sum up this spirit up in a single sentence: ‘let’s grow our patch together’. Until now, the Eastern Powerhouse has simply been an idea. Now it has launched however, the pressure is on to make this vision a reality. To do this, we will continue our fruitful engagement with members and work hard to turn various ‘walls of words’ (this current piece included) into concrete deeds. This process will be driven by our members: you will drive the agenda, you will suggest the projects, and you will decide where funding should be allocated.

We all now acknowledge that the UK has one of the most imbalanced societies and lop-sided economies of all western countries. It is not just that there is a gap between London and the South East and the rest of the country, there are huge gaps within the regions themselves — in life expectancy, educational attainment, employment prospects, earning power, crime statistics, social justice, and so on. Of course, the underlying causes are highly complex, and successive governments share the blame to some extent. Margaret Thatcher’s reforms famously hollowed out industrial communities in the north and the regions without doing anything to equip them for recovery. READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON REACTION

By Matt Windle, MD, Lotus Cars The story of Lotus cars begins in 1948, when founder and genius engineer Colin Chapman built his first car in converted stables behind a pub in north London. In the almost 75 years since, Lotus has created a unique automotive heritage. It includes iconic sport cars such as the Elan, Esprit, Elise and Exige, as well as a Formula 1 pedigree that consists of seven Constructor’s and six Driver’s Championships. The story of Lotus in the East of England begins in July 1966 when Lotus moved to Hethel, just south of Norwich. Rural Norfolk offered Lotus the right combination of technology, space, workforce and infrastructure, and we’ve been there ever since, a significant employer and exporter of technology and products. Today the site is unrecognisable from the former US airbase that Chapman inherited. The 85-acre site includes the very latest in automotive design, engineering and manufacturing capability, plus the iconic 2.2-mile test track, originally fashioned from the old runway and used by many of F1’s greatest – Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti. More recently it hosted Jenson Button when he unveiled our latest new product, the Lotus Emira sports car, in July 2021. Lotus is in the middle of a transformation like nothing else in the automotive industry today. We are transitioning from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand. We can do this because of investment; in 2017 Lotus became part of the Geely Automotive group, which includes Volvo, Polestar, Proton and London Electric Vehicle Company. In 2018 we celebrated our 70th birthday. As part of the celebrations, we published a strategy we called Vision80. It is the 10-year plan guiding our transformation, driving us forward to grow from a range of niche petrol-powered sports cars to become a premium performance car brand with a highly desirable range of all-electric vehicles on sale in all the world’s major markets. Our exciting EV future begins on 29 March 2022 when we give a world premiere our all-electric Hyper SUV – known until then by the codename Type 132 – and continues in the summer when the first customers of the Evija, our all-electric hypercar, take delivery. In addition to new cars, Vision80 is guiding the transformation of our UK facilities, to make Lotus an employer of choice for our rapidly expanding workforce. Hethel now boasts a fully automated paint shop and semi-automated production lines, and in nearby Norwich we have opened a new chassis manufacturing facility. There is also a new engineering and testing centre in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. During the first four years of Vision80, more than £500 million has been invested in our UK facilities and product development. Employment and revenue have both grown by over 200%, and 2021 was our best sales performance for 10 years, with 80% of products being exported. In 2022 Lotus employs 1,600 people in the UK, roughly double what it was in 2018. So, what of the future? A core element of Vision80 is that Lotus is committed to go fully electric by the end of this decade. The Emira is our last petrol-powered car – everything after is electric – and we’ve already announced the first four models are in development. Fast-forward to the end of next year, 2023, and we will be producing around 7,000 vehicles a year from the East of England – an increase of 460% from 2021. We are investing in the latest technology and engineering skills. As an example, we have designed and engineered a bespoke electric vehicle architecture just for sports cars which, in line with our heritage and core values, is focused on a simplified lightweight design. We have called it LEVA – the Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture – and through our external commercial division, Lotus Engineering, this is available for other companies to buy and create their own cars. It’s another example of how investment has enhanced our ability to export technology. We see being part of the Eastern Powerhouse can enhance our ambition. We need a clear strategy on: Education – ensuring local schools, colleges and universities can keep up with demand for high-value roles in topics such as software, cyber-security and AI. Employment – linked to education, we must ensure we have the right candidates to support our growth targets. Local investment – we need both local and national support, ensuring investment in the UK, and particularly the East of England, by our parent company is seen as a viable option with a valuable return. Transport – ensuring parts can efficiently be delivered to our manufacturing facilities from our global network of suppliers, and our products shipped to customers worldwide. In return, we can support the Eastern Powerhouse with our global brand and communications, highlight the high-value jobs opportunities in the East of England, bring new technology and support start-up or incubator companies locally. As part of our ongoing plan to move to net-zero, we can also enhance the green credentials of the region. The East of England has a wealth of diverse businesses, a technology mindset and an environmental focus. There is a real thirst for investment and business growth opportunities. Lotus is proud to be part of the Eastern Powerhouse project.

By Prof. Mario Caccamo, CEO, NIAB Agriculture is hugely important for our region. The East of England, the bread-basket of the country, is a well-deserved moniker. It has embraced larger scale, sustainable and efficient food and farming production and the widespread take-up of technology and new farming methods. The region is also renowned for its strong agri-tech research base; the corridor stretching from Cambridge to Norwich incorporates many of the UK’s leading agricultural science organisations and research universities, plant breeders, and agri-tech companies. We live in unprecedented times: food production must undergo a transformation in which we need to grow enough nutritious crops for an increasing population while reducing use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, increasing the land available for green infrastructure and biodiversity, gradually reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, and adapting to climate change. All these goals must be achieved without offshoring the associated climate and environmental impacts to other territories. The impact of the current events in Eastern Europe also demonstrates the risks of increasing our dependency on external sources of energy and food. Evidence-based decisions will need to play a central role to ensure the necessary transformation supports a viable and innovative farming sector. It is right for the East of England to take the lead in addressing these challenges and, in this way, contribute to a better health for our population and a more sustainable future. As explained by Henry Dimbleby in the National Food Strategy, our food systems have taken their current forms over many years, and it will take time and effort to reshape them to protect both our health and our planet. At NIAB we have developed a scientific strategy that puts these challenges at the centre of what we do. This covers all aspects of farming as well as the introduction of novel varieties, for instance, by growing our capabilities in areas such as legume genetics and biotechnology in particular gene editing and advanced breeding. Prospects for the future of plant genetic research and innovation in England received a boost recently when, following a public consultation in 2021, Defra announced plans to free up field trial research on gene edited plants, and to bring forward legislation to take most gene edited crops out of the scope of GMO controls. NIAB has been at the forefront of efforts to persuade Ministers to move away from the EU’s restrictive regulatory approach. In 2020, NIAB brought together a group of leading scientists, many from across this region, to urge the Government to support an amendment to the Agriculture Bill designed to bring our rules into line with other countries around the world. This call from the scientific community was supported by cross-party politicians, farmers, plant breeders, food processors and other agri-food organisations. Experience from the countries that have embraced gene-editing is that, compared to GMOs, the products generated by these technologies follow a much faster rate from laboratory to market, involve a greater diversity of crops and traits, and include a broader range of developers, from public sector research institutes to SMEs and multinationals. This could be a game-changer for the agri-tech industry in the East of England. NIAB leads the way in the translation of science into practice to benefit growers and supply chains in the UK arable and horticulture sectors. We also have the scientific breadth and track record to respond rapidly to the challenges imposed by climate change. Our core values are shaped by our commitment to independence and integrity. This emphasises NIAB’s leadership role, particularly within the Eastern region, as the ‘go-to’ place for agriculture and horticulture innovation. There are exciting times ahead for our region!

The levelling up white paper is a valid piece of aspirational work. Backed with vast sums of money, much of which had already been announced, it is certainly a laudable attempt at levelling up the United Kingdom. The aims and objectives make common sense; invest in those parts of the country that are lagging and over time, reap the benefits of higher productivity across the country. So how does this affect the East of England? Having read the executive summary, I am disappointed but not surprised to see the East mentioned only once, with a single reference to high levels of median pay in South Cambridge. Happily, there is an overview of the region within the main document. This summarises the various initiatives and investments in the East, including an initial £87m of investment through Round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund, backing five projects; and £287m of Towns Fund investment across 12 towns including in Norwich, Peterborough and Great Yarmouth. The paper also announces the new Freeport for the East of England Centred around the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International Port. All this is to be welcomed, but the scale of investment in the region is dwarfed by other parts of the UK, not least the £1.49bn City and Growth Deal for Scotland – a country with a similar sized population to the East of England. It is also very concerning that the government’s focus on Innovation Accelerators is not building on the Cambridge cluster to help spread the wealth across the East of England, to build on the emerging science and tech centres in Norwich and Ipswich, as well as the life science hubs along the M11. This is why a coherent plan to promote innovation in the East is needed. The paper lauds the £96bn it commits to the Integrated Rail Plan in the North and Midlands. The big idea for the East is the East/West rail, a scheme that links Bedford and Cambridge and as yet remains unfunded. I would like to see commitment to an East/West Rail project that extends from Bedford to Cambridge, Felixstowe, and Norwich. Transport upgrades at Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Huntingdon, and Chelmsford are mentioned but the electrification of the Norwich to Cambridge, Ipswich to Cambridge and Peterborough to Cambridge lines doesn’t warrant inclusion. There is £5.7bn for improving transport schemes in England’s core cities, but neither this nor the £24bn for the countries busiest roads will be invested in the East. I certainly welcome the inclusion of significant parts of the region in the Education Investment Areas scheme. Education in the East has suffered from funding inequality for decades, so this is a step in the right direction. We must go further to give greater prominence to intermediate and higher technical skills and to provide an education system that can deliver quality provision for those who go to university and those who do not. Industry understands that we need more flexible pathways to provide a skilled workforce for now and the future. The white paper also recognises the need to focus on both the economic and social determinants of health as well as the intrinsic links between health, education and skills and the wider economy. This is to be welcomed by all of us advocating a health-in-all-policies approach. It is wrong that where you live can have a significant effect on your lifespan and one of the missions explicitly refers to the need to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy (HLE) between local areas. I look forward to the white paper on health disparities which will be published this year, setting out an ambition for reducing the gap in health outcomes. I hope that this paper can also consider the problems of accessing health services in rural areas. The government should be congratulated on the deals that have been achieved to date in the East, but we must now go a lot further. It will be our overriding objective to ensure that the East of England has due attention in the mission to level up. I relish the opportunity to challenge the government on behalf of the Eastern Powerhouse, I know government can do better and I know the East deserves better.

What exactly is the East of England? It’s an area slightly smaller than - but with a similar population to - Wales. The East has never been seen as a region; well not since the 6th Century at least, and certainly not since it was incorporated into the Kingdom of England early in the 10th Century. The rivalry between Norfolk and Suffolk has never amounted to much more than light banter and the people of the East have coexisted peacefully over many centuries, creating a healthy economy based not around industrialisation and great urban cities, but around agriculture, education, and innovation. Like anywhere, the East can boast of heroes in politics, the admiralty, and academia - some have changed the world and the way our society lives - but the East has never put itself forward as more than the sum of its parts. The Eastern Powerhouse aims to do what has never been achieved in the East: to create a narrative for the whole region; a vision for the future prosperity of the people who live here. We are not a public authority or a political organisation. We are not set up to deliver funding or government policy. Our aim is to promote the Eastern Region by raising its profile. As a commonwealth of businesses and local councils, we will be supportive of sustainable business growth, and campaign for investment that shows return. We will work across parties with MPs and members of the House of Lords to increase the influence of the East in parliament. And we will aim to influence government policy. The East of England is home to innovators and entrepreneurs, great scientific and great business minds. In agriculture, technology, and life science, as well as manufacturing and green energy, the East leads the way. Governments have tended not to look East - voices elsewhere tend to be louder and with more political points to score. Our aim is to redress the balance in favour of investment here. Clearly it will take time to remedy the lack of attention over many decades, but it is important that we take our inspiration by looking at what has been successful elsewhere in the UK. There is no doubt the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine have had a significant effect on government policy in their areas. The West has created its Western Gateway, whilst Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have devolved parliaments. Until now, the East has looked on without a coherent voice and that simply has to change. The Eastern Powerhouse is business-led, it is democratic, and it will exert considerable influence in Westminster. We will promote the East as a region to do business, not only with government, but internationally too. We are all aware of what an incredible place the East is to live, from the epic flat lands of the Fens to the incredible beaches and Broads of Norfolk, and the undulating hills of Suffolk and Essex. To the naked eye, little may have appeared to change here over the many centuries since the Angles became the English. Yet the East is ready to take on the world. And the Eastern Powerhouse is here to do just that. James Palmer, Chair, Eastern Powerhouse