Having read the emerging draft delivery plan it is interesting to consider this with the 2006 Competitive Assessment. In particular the local economic impact of the ports and emerging renewables sector, within but not evident in the economic data provided for the board of the North Bank Partnership. The recent report for the LEP sheds some interesting light on this. The numbers of existing jobs and local economic contribution is not that significant but those projected are clearly very attractive if they could be delivered with local benefit. Note I say IF. This caused me to go back in the annals of time and re-read the IBM consultant report of 2006. The root I believe to today’s enthusiasm. The Wasserman legacy as I see it.
I think the elephant in the room occupied by the many wishful thinkers and a subject that is lightly touched upon by the findings of the authors of this latest report, is that of the port monopoly. The ports are actually an exclusive place, they are anti-competitive to the detriment of the local economy and have been for a long while, it suits the owners to maximise their profits this way, profits which are then sucked out of the region rather than spent within it. We hear a lot of spin about how much tonnage comes in, but the real picture is that our ports under-perform for our region.
Monopolies since the dark ages have been recognised as bad, note efforts by the monopoly owners to protect theirs locally by threatening the planning application of others with judicial review. I think this says it all, which shows no interest in growing the local economy other than where it maximises the monopolist balance sheet. Thus reality says that all what the wishful thinkers want will only come with much more competition on the river.
Consider also the port owners historic landholdings and propertyrights, little of which has been made available for local economic benefit todate, and nor will it be under the current plans for their ports expansion. The result of this not only restricts growth on their land but on the economic demand off port. As to “value adding” often spoken about, surely the reason this has not taken off locally to date is due to the high cost of the Humber Ports tariffs compared to other more progressive UK port regions, so factoring such in as a growth opportunity whilst the status quo continues with the port owners exercising such control is futile.
I think the area’s high future expectations of our ports need a reality check, and at least some sensitive issues need a wider public debate. The domination of our focus on the three sectors Ports, Chemicals and Renewables could more be a danger to our region at this important juncture, a region that for some time and for the next few months appears on hold because of them and whilst we continue to punch below our weight.
The big question – Is local prosperity at the heart of what all this is about, all the energy and effort, because if it is the commissioners and authors both of this new report and the old one are too narrow in their vision and we are all wrong to be so influenced by this.
The Humber is a big area, and prosperity for let’s say – more of the many, needs bigger thinking and a bigger context. Not domination by a few powerful interests – economic or political.
And herein lies the answer, leaders should look to engage and harness the energy of the many. This is entirely possible and there would be a very big prize for the public and private sectors and local people in doing it. There is also a current appetite for it. You need a powerful and wide coalition of those who really want local change to move from our cycle of economic backwardness. It doesn’t have to be like this. An inclusive ports network could have a big role to play, if that can be achieved, but there is a lot to do to bring that about and we should not be banking on it so much. Nor in any event can ports, chemicals and renewables bring us to delivering the full potential of the region.
If you really want to create jobs and enterprise rather than continue writing more plans there is a need to start doing, less process and more delivery. Waking the sleeping giant of collective engagement. There is much more in terms of assets, human capital, creativity and imagination in the Humber to be developed and which could create wealth.
It should not be all wind. My thoughts hope they help.