The North West Development Agency covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. NWDA is led by the Chief Executive, Steve Broomhead, and Chair, Bryan Gray, supported by the Board.

The North West is a £106bn (2005) economy with 242,000 firms, predominantly small and medium enterprises. The regional economy went through a major period of restructuring and underperformance during the 1980s and 1990s but since then has grown faster than the England average.

The North West was dominated by large manufacturing companies, which are still vital and very productive. However, the structure of the region’s economy is becoming increasingly similar to that of the UK as a whole, moving towards the service sector, and especially business and professional services.

In 1998, the region’s economic activity rate was 75.4% – lower than every other English region except the North East, and 3.5% behind the England average. Between 1998 and 2005 this has turned around, with economic activity rates increasing faster than any other region and the gap reducing to just 1.7%, halving the differential during the last seven years.

The NWDA’s vision for the North West is to create a dynamic, sustainable international economy which competes on the basis of knowledge, advanced technology and an excellent quality of life for all. They have identified three major drivers to achieving this vision:

• Improve productivity and grow the market by building on areas of success and provide high added-value jobs.
• Grow the size and capability of the workforce by developing skills in the existing workforce and in those unemployed in deprived areas and in disadvantaged communities.
• Create and maintain conditions for sustainable growth and private sector investment by investing in the region’s environment, culture and infrastructure.

Further Information

• Economic Impact of the NWDA 1999-2009
• North West Regional Economic Strategy
• Regional Strategy 2010
• NWDA Annual Review
• NWDA Corporate Plan
• NWDA Board Composition