Council leader wants to upgrade city's economy

'HIGHER-VALUE JOBS' ARE TARGET FOR TORY

- WILLIAM TELFORD

THE new Conservative leader of Plymouth City Council says the city’s economic future depends on the creation of highly paid jobs in manufacturing and marine technology, and he will be marketing the city to multinational companies in a bid to entice them to move to Plymouth.

Cllr Richard Bingley wants to reverse Plymouth’s status as a low-wage city by bringing in “higher value jobs”. Elected as council leader following the recent ward elections, he says the city is already contacting major companies that could either move from elsewhere or expand existing operations in Plymouth, and he said he will personally speak to chief executives in a bid to pitch the city to them.

Cllr Bingley admitted the transformation of the city in this way will be a long-term project and has targeted 2030, but he said there are advances that can be made in the next few years and said the city’s new tax-break freeport will be vitally important, as will Government financial support and the potential to enhance Millbay docks so it becomes a more significant port.

The Tory leader said: “Our priorities are going to be very, very clear. The first and core priority is to deliver higher-value jobs for Plymouth. Plymouth residents are paid far less than the national average, £50 a week less; what we need to do is level that up and get decent advanced manufacturing, the marine autonomy sector, up and running. We need to invest in skills and get a far higher number of the bigger businesses into Plymouth.”