‘Making growth fair and opportunity real – new plan matters so much’ 

I have the best job in the world, being Mayor of this remarkable region, writes Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward. The East Midlands is a place of makers and movers, a region that has powered Britain for generations – in our factories, foundries, fields, and laboratories. That same spirit – of hard work, creativity, and community – still defines us today. 

However, let’s be honest: life isn’t always easy. People work hard, yet too often they don’t see the rewards they deserve. Wages remain below the national average, and for many families, the cost of housing, transport, and energy rises faster than their pay.

That is why my newly launched East Midlands Growth Plan matters so much. It is about more than growth – it’s about fairness, ensuring prosperity is the shared right of everyone who calls this region home. 

We are a region of 2.2 million people and 80,000 businesses, the best-connected in Britain, with 91 per cent of the country within a four-hour drive. As the UK’s only inland Freeport, we are the beating heart of the national logistics network. Over the next seven years, £2 billion of transport investment will make our connections even stronger.

Our universities are engines of innovation, training the engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Our industries show that the East Midlands does not just compete – we lead. 

My Growth Plan builds on that strength. Over the next decade, it will create 60,000 jobs, add £13 billion to our economy, and deliver 10,000 homes each year. Most importantly, it will ensure growth is inclusive, reaching every city, town, and village.

We will invest in the foundations of prosperity – clean energy, skills, housing, connectivity, and innovation – and focus on sectors where we already excel: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences, digital and creative industries, and the visitor economy. 

Growth without fairness is not progress. Every decision will be guided by one simple question: does it open doors for you? Does it give you a fair chance to get on and get up? 

East Midlands Growth Plan

This region has the talent, the assets, and the drive. What we have lacked until now is a platform to pull it all together. My East Midlands Growth Plan gives us that platform, turning aspiration into action and ambition into reality.

Let this be the decade the East Midlands comes of age: a decade where opportunity is fair, work is rewarding, and growth is inclusive. Together, we can make this region not only a powerhouse for Britain, but a home of pride, possibility, and progress — the best place to live, learn, work, and grow.