Inclusive Growth Event - February 2025
Inclusive Growth Event February 2025
We held the first of our Inclusive Growth Partnership events for 2025 on Monday 3rd February, which brought together key partners, stakeholders and representatives to discuss our shared vision for the city.
200 people from across the public, private and third sectors gathered at Leeds City Museum to talk about the future of the city in light of a changing policy context, making it our largest partnership event to date. Key discussion topics included transformative regeneration, devolution in West Yorkshire, and health in the workplace.
Inclusive Growth: a city for everyone
There was agreement across the room that growth must be inclusive. Through our Best City Ambition and Inclusive Growth strategies, we are on a journey for Leeds to be a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or location.
As a city we want to focus on more than just economic growth. We are committed in addressing inequalities, improving health outcomes, tackling the climate emergency and ensuring that the benefits of growth are shared by everyone.
At the event, the council’s new Chief Executive Ed Whiting talked about our progress on becoming a ‘Marmot City’, which aims to address health inequalities in Leeds. Ed emphasised the importance of joined-up services that integrate health, housing, and other essential areas.
Key projects like ‘the Heart of Holbeck’, located next to the future British Library North, exemplify our commitments to looking at each of our communities and how, by doing things differently, we can really make a difference.
The Leeds difference: partnerships and our unique character
The event got started with a Q&A discussion, where Cllr Jonathan Pryor (Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development) and Ed Whiting were asked by the audience what defines Leeds, what makes us unique, and how we can use this to our advantage.
They both agreed that Leeds has a unique character, which means we’re not trying to be a smaller version of any other city. Our compact city centre is part of our difference – it is accessible, vibrant and walkable, with a strong sense of community.
The power of partnerships is a key strength here in Leeds. We work closely with our universities, the NHS, and other key stakeholders to achieve our shared goals. This collaborative approach fosters a culture of innovation and ensures that we are working together to address the challenges and opportunities facing our city – a true #TeamLeeds approach.
Both Cllr Pryor and Ed Whiting agreed that Leeds is special because we are true to our character and that is one of our major opportunities for the future, and a reason we have got to where we are today.
Building on our strengths: investment and infrastructure for the future
Leeds is a city that is good at delivering – we have a proven track record and we are laying the groundwork for sustainable growth. The upcoming mass transit system, with a planned start in 2028 will revolutionise connectivity and improve access to jobs across the city. Transport is and will always be a big theme, and was the focus of our previous partnership event in July 2024. It was obvious from conversations in the room that ensuring that everyone can benefit from improved public transport, would better connect our communities.
Creating a well-connected city is a priority. We are committed to developing infrastructure that connects communities, not divides them. We're focused on making changes easy for people, ensuring that our public realm is accessible and that we have a mix of housing options to meet the needs of all our residents.
It was safe to say the audience, as well as city leaders are well aware of the challenges ahead, but there is also excitement about the many opportunities a well. Through maintaining momentum, upholding our core values, and continuing to work together we will achieve great things for the whole city.
Leeds is a city with a clear vision, strong partnerships, and a commitment to inclusive growth. We are confident that the next ten years will be transformative, building on our strengths and creating a better future for all our residents. We're excited to be leading this journey and working alongside our community to make our vision a reality.
To find out more about our work around Inclusive Growth,
Join the Inclusive Growth partnership.
