I always find it interesting to read these, and hopefully some others will too. Some interesting facts I've discerned from a quick browse of this year's report, hopefully with a Yorkshire focus to make it relevant to us lot: Yorkshire has a strong regional economy. Its success is mainly driven by Leeds and York, both of which appear in the top 10 fastest growing cities. Leeds was the country's fastest growing city by population between 2000 and 2010. Sixth fastest proportionally, with York coming third. The top seven cities for declining population are all from the North and Scotland, but none are in Yorkshire. They are: Burnley, Birkenhead, Dundee, Rochdale, Sunderland, Grimsby and Liverpool. Hull and Barnsley both appear in the bottom 10 for business start-up rates. The same two are in the bottom 10 for business stocks, along with Donny. Huddersfield interestingly comes 9th for innovation, whereas Wakey next door is third from bottom. Yorkshire's record for high qualifications is shameful and makes up half of the bottom 10, with Donny, Wakey, Bradford, Hull and Barnsley all appearing. Likewise, Hull and Bradford folk are more likely to have no qualifications and come in the top 10 for that. Hull and Bradford also feature in the worst 10 cities for employment. Leeds comes third and Sheffield fifth in terms of employment rate for major cities. Huddersfield is the worst place in the country for private sector employment growth, and Barnsley has the second lowest proportion of private sector jobs. This could be put down to students at Huddersfield Uni and Kirklees College since Cambridge and Oxford also appear on that list. Hull saw an increase of twice the national average in benefit claimants. It is the biggest scrounger city in the country, with Grimsby, Doncaster and Bradford not far behind. Those that are in work in Hull tend to earn less than anyone else in the country, Wakey in a not dissimilar situation. York is the only Yorkshire city that features in the top 10 for equality, with Leeds and Hull both notable hubs of inequality. Hull as a city has built less houses than anyone else, and is third in terms of housing price rises. Wakefield and Donny are proudly flying the flag for least eco-friendly cities in terms of CO2 emissions, although overall Yorkshire is the same as anywhere else in the North. In conclusion: Leeds and York are the major force behind Yorkshire's strong economy, with Sheffield doing its bit too. Hull, Barnsley, Bradford and Doncaster need to sort their economies out and create major private sector jobs and soon. Sunderland is an absolute ****-tip and comes almost bottom in just about every category. York, Edinburgh and Cambridge tend to be the best places to live on the whole. Leeds and Bristol if you're going for big cities.
It dosnt mention the part about Hull been the Highest placed football team in Yorkshire? You keep building houses and we ll keep winning Football matches everyones Happy!
We always get kicked in the guts in these kind of reports, it's nothing new. Even when the entire country was enjoying the economic boom we used to get reminded that we're **** and we're scum. I think Middlesbrough used to sometimes get a worse kicking than us, but that's about it. After a while you ignore it, and tend to think that it can't really be that bad, as this is not a bad place to live at all.
Unemployment in Leeds is 5%, in Hull it's 10%, but the East Riding unemployment rate is 3%. The average earnings in Leeds are £32,805, in Hull they're less than £20,000, but in the East Riding they're £34,229. Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
As Lamby alludes to, the stats don't compare like with like. Leeds boundaries are ridiculous, taking in villages with no real connection to the City. Hull's boundaries are tight and are effectively all inner-City with the leafy suburbs and one of the richest areas in England excluded. Piss poor report that only a fool would be taken in by. I thought statisticians were long since through with using such meaningless drivel? PS, Boro are the top team in Yorkshire at the moment.
all of these studies ignore mobility of labour. i live within the Hull travel to work area and I am relatively affluent. I live where I do because it is a really nice place to live and offers a much better relative quality of life than Leeds, York and Sheffield. I last worked in or near Hull about 20 years ago but have made my living by working in these more (supposedly) affluent centres. As far as I am concerned, it's about 45 mins - 1 hour away to get to 'where the work is'. I d like that situation to stay as it is. Just like Hull, Sheffield and Leeds have there own, and bigger, social problems. Gipton is twice to Leeds, what Orchard Park is to the East Riding for instance. We should stop restricting Hull's geographical definition to its City boundaries. It doesnt work like that! Hull dug it's own grave many years ago with successive Labour administrations and their narrow minded view on contemporary development. Their attitude to Mr Allam's plans are indicative and show the difference between Leeds and Leicester for instance. As someone with a second home in West Yorkshire, and having worked all over the North and even abroad, believe me, Hull should remain a well kept secret! Long may the surveys continue.....
it is a really nice place to live and offers a much better relative quality of life than Leeds, York and Sheffield. ------------- This line is classic my ribs are ****ing killing me
Hate to be boring yet again but Leeds boundaries extend as far as fooking Wetherby but ours don't even include our wealthy west Hull suburbs. Parts of Leeds were a ****e hole thirty years ago when I lived there - Gipton, Seacroft, Middleton, Burmantofts, Harehills Chapeltown etc etc.. and from a recent visit they're even worse now. Still got 30,000 proper back to back terrace houses FFS. We have always had higher than average unemployment due in part to our geographical isolation (this works in our favour in being well away from wessie land) - we have always managed to reinvent ourselves albeit it has been tough. We will continue to do so with the hope the Siemens Alex Dock development will bring in thousands of jobs for the city and further still should we cement our position as the UK hub for sustainable energy. As for football we eagerly await the return visit of TWS thicko manager and all.
you ve obviously lived and worked in all these places as I have then? if so, you are easily pleased!!!!
everywhere has got ****ty areas just Hull has more ****ty areas but think yourself lucky you don't live in Merthyr Tydfil
Leeds - 18 I am curious to know lets just turn the tables and this report was the other way around would you have been so keen in reporting it ..... I would guess not !!!! I live in one of the top cities for academia etc in the UK and believe me it has massive problems and every time I drive back to Hull my home city come out on top. Every city has it's areas of deprivation, trouble and poor housing.
Cambridge Tiger I agree with that just some have more than others thats all, I grew up in dewsbury glad I moved to Batley haha
as mentioned above it really isnt a fair comparison , There are massive chunks of London that i wouldnt fancy living or even venturing through. One thing i would be interested to see is a comparison between Hull and Liverpool . Liverpool has its fair share of snot , but it is seemingly doing rather well on the whole . Considering 30yrs ago it was in such a dire situation there was talks of managed decline (though this is denied as being a serious consideration) Makes me wonder if Hull was thought of similarly in the late 70s too.
