Chris McDonald Joins UK2070 Commission Teesside Taskforce
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY UK2070 COMMISSION ON 28/10/20
UK2070 COMMISSION LAUNCHES TEESSIDE TASK FORCE
The UK2070 Commission, an independent inquiry into regional inequalities in the UK and Chaired by Lord Kerslake, today announced the official launch of the UK2070 Teesside Task Force.
The Task Force will work in support of the UK2070 Commission and its long-standing aspirations for a major increase in number and quality of job opportunities in the region and enhancing the wellbeing of people who live in Teesside.
The Teesside Task Force will look in particular at the potential of Freeports, Steel, Hydrogen & wider Net Zero agenda to boost opportunity for people from across the Tees Valley.
In order to help the Task Force, the UK2070 Commission is making a Call for Evidence from all interested parties on four key issues:
• The key issues facing Teesside: economic, social, environmental and political
• The main opportunities for the Teesside area;
• The resource and institutional requirements to tackle the problems and release the opportunities;
• What successful projects and initiatives have been developed in Teesside that might be replicated.
Submissions should be made by 4th December 2020 with the findings of the Commission being submitted to Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and the Combined Authority, and government by spring 2021.
Submitting evidence by emailing uk2070commission@turntown.com
The UK2070 Taskforce will be further supported by local Taskforce Steering Group comprised of Business, DIT, Academic and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Commenting Lord Kerslake said: “I am delighted to make this announcement today with the Mayor Houchen, on formation of UK2070 Teesside Taskforce. This is the first of a series of UK2070 Taskforces that will focus on places. This Taskforce will look in particular at the potential of Freeports, Steel, Hydrogen & wider Net Zero agenda.
The Commission welcomes opportunity understand and learn from Teesside Taskforce programme”.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “It is absolutely essential that we boost the Tees Valley’s economy, that’s why I have put Freeports, green steel making, clean and carbon capture technologies at the centre of my plan for jobs, a plan that is delivering good quality well paid jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool right now.
“I welcome the UK2070 Commission Teesside Task Force’s focus on our region and I look forward to telling them about my plans to create jobs. As we continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, it I’m more important than ever that we secure the investment that will create the jobs we all want to see come to our region so that local people can have more money in their pocket for them and their families”
Lord Kerslake further commented: “The Taskforce is a logical development from our most recent report ‘Go Big Go Local’ which looked at the levelling up agenda in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. We will draw together proposals to help create sustained new investment and open up new market opportunities through both existing programmes and new initiatives and funding streams. The opportunity to apply the ideas of the UK2070 Commission in specific places is an exciting one. The Teesside Taskforce will be a pioneer of this new approach”
Jacob Young MP & Chair APPG (Hydrogen) said: “As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hydrogen and MP for Redcar, I’m delighted to see the formation of the UK2070 Teesside Taskforce with a commitment to study Hydrogen and the Net Zero agenda.
The taskforce is being launched at a crucial time and demonstrates the anticipation from political leaders, policymakers, and local businesses to support Net-Zero targets.
I look forward to working with the Taskforce to create jobs and grow the local economy in Teesside”.
Chris McDonald, CEO, Materials Processing Institute said: "As an advocate for the Green Industrial Revolution, I welcome the news that the UK2070 Commission are creating a Teesside Task Force to focus on areas such as green steelmaking and net zero carbon technologies. I am pleased to be joining the task force and to contribute my personal expertise in support of developing these industries in Teesside and for the UK."
Editors Notes:
BACKGROUND
The UK2070 Commission is an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the UK. Chaired by Lord Kerslake, it has been set up to conduct a review of the policy and spatial issues related to the UK’s long-term city and regional development.
The UK2070 Commission has set up a Task Force in support of the long-standing aspirations for the wellbeing of the Teesside.
This will depend upon a major increase in number and quality of employment opportunities in the region.
As highlighted in the findings of UK2070 Commission, this is critical to delivering the levelling up of social conditions and lifetime prospects of the communities in the Teesside.
This is also of national importance to the economic future of the UK in recalibrating the capacity, performance, and resilience to risk of all its major regions, including the Teesside.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Michael S Henson UK2070 Commission
michael.henson@turntown.co.uk m:07514738044
Jason Brown Tees Valley Combined Authority
Jason.Brown@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk
28 October 2020
