17Jul 2023 by Andrew No Comments

Business starts and survival in the Tees Valley, for NEEAL

Economic growth, Research, analysis and evidence
Ortus ER was engaged by the North East Enterprise Agency Ltd (NEEAL), in partnership  with Tees Valley Combined Authority, Darlington Council, Hartlepool Council and Redcar and Cleveland Council, to undertake a study to provide granular intelligence into business start up rates and demography across the Tees Valley. This included benchmarking the Tees Valley against carefully selected comparator locations to understand relative performance, identify points of difference and highlight examples of best practice.  This project calls upon our long track record of delivering insight about the patterns and importance of different ‘dynamics’ within the UK economy; business starts, closures and ‘survivors’ and their relative contribution to our economy.  By implementing a three-stage research process (analysing secondary data, undertaking desk research and consulting with key partners and stakeholders), Ortus provided the client…
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23Apr 2023 by Andy No Comments

Doncaster’s Economic Strategy and Action Plan

Economic growth, Innovation, Local Authority, Sectors, Strategy and policy development
In 2018, Doncaster set out its ambition for an economy that promoted inclusive growth in their Inclusive Growth Strategy 2018-21.  Ortus worked with the council during the process of developing its strategy to undertake a study of the major platforms for economic growth, examining key sectors and the foundational economy and identifying the contributions that could be made to inclusive growth objectives. In 2022, the council set about refreshing its strategy and integrating additional elements, namely the concept of a regenerative economy to complement the central theme of inclusivity.  Ortus was commissioned to lead a refresh of the platforms for growth study, again examining sectors of opportunity and economic niches and focusing on supporting innovation, working with Kada Research. The project also includes the development of a structured plan that…
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19Apr 2023 by Andy No Comments

North of Tyne Business Survey 2023

Combined Authority, Economic growth, Research, analysis and evidence
Ortus and Qa Research were commissioned by the North of Tyne Combined Authority to deliver a business survey on behalf of its constituent local authorities. The survey explored business performance following the Covid-19 pandemic, actions being taken to reduce businesses’ carbon emissions and environmental impacts, and the take-up and need for business support services. We undertook a telephone survey of registered businesses, alongside an online survey which was targeted at unregistered businesses (freelancers, sole traders and partnerships) via the client partners’ and other local business networks. In total, 860 interviews were completed, allowing robust analysis at parliamentary constituency level to help large local authorities understand the businesses in their area. Findings were presented in a detailed final report, alongside a data pack with extensive data tables and statistical analysis.
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22Dec 2022 by Andy No Comments

Evidence base to support Gateshead’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund application

Economic growth, Local Authority, Strategy and policy development
Gateshead Council required support to develop their application for funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The application window was very tight and capacity within the relevant teams very constrained. As well as requiring additional capacity within their team, the council also required expertise related to building evidence-based narratives which explain the key economic and social challenges faced by Gateshead, and to which the UKSPF funding could be targeted. Ortus was approached and commissioned to play this role, working very closely with the Strategic Funding Programmes Manager and team to develop a cohesive application and supporting evidence base. Working under very challenging deadlines, the Ortus team delivered the required outputs to time and budget. Gateshead Council was successful in its application and has been awarded £11.6 million to deliver…
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30Mar 2022 by Andy No Comments

Midlands Engine export research

Economic growth, NDPB, Research, analysis and evidence, Sectors
Ortus and Qa Research have delivered the latest in a series of research studies of exporting activity across the Midlands Engine area. As well as levels of exporting and barriers preventing/enabling factors supporting exporting, the surveys also reviewed business support challenges and, in the most recent survey, examined the impacts of Brexit and Covid-19. The research also provides an assessment of the levels of actual and potential exporting required in each LEP to contribute to regional and national targets. The 2021 study delivered a survey of 1,725 businesses (employing 5 or more people) in the Midlands Engine region, including minimum quotas per Local Enterprise Partnership area in order to produce results which were robust at LEP level.
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30Sep 2021 by Andy No Comments

Covid-19 recovery in the North East

Economic growth, Local Enterprise Partnership, Research, analysis and evidence
The Covid-19 pandemic caused the biggest economic shock of recent times. The ongoing and uncertain nature of the global emergency means that economic recovery will neither be straightforward nor achievable in the short-term. The North East LEP, as part of its role within the North East Covid-19 Economic Recovery Group, sought to bring in a team to support the development of timely, targeted evidence and analysis to support the recovery planning. Ortus, working in partnership with New Skills Consulting, was commissioned to provide regular intelligence reports to the Economic Recovery Group and the LEP Board. This involved ongoing analysis of a wide range key data sources, including standard economic and labour market datasets but also those related to the various support schemes established by government (e.g. CJRS and SEISS) and…
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03Mar 2020 by Andy No Comments

Creative Industries in the North of Tyne

Economic growth, Research, analysis and evidence, University
Ortus and survey partners Qa Research have been commissioned by Newcastle University to undertake a mapping study of the creative and cultural industries in the North of Tyne area. Scoping work in this area has identified that existing data is patchy in both coverage and depth, and some derived from national statistics rather than locally grounded research. This research will map the distinctive characteristics of the creative industries in the North of Tyne Combined Authority area and identify particular challenges or barriers to growth. The University has considerable research strengths in the creative and cultural industries and already works in partnership with the sector on a range of projects and strategic initiatives. The aim of this work is to better enable the University to identify and respond to local need…
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01Nov 2018 by Andy No Comments

The development and justification of a strategy to support sector specialisms in Sheffield

City Region, Economic growth, Strategy and policy development
Sheffield City Region had recently developed a draft Growth Plan for the local economy and this had been submitted to government for review. A fundamental conclusion of this work was to highlight the need to better understand the sub sectors of the City Region’s economy which represent its USPs, and the specialist businesses and specialist technologies that exist locally. This was deemed to be vital in demonstrating the specialisms that differentiate the City Region from other LEP areas. This project was designed to identify and assess these specialisms, with a view to providing insights to allow the City Region to prioritise investment in support of them. Importantly, the specialisms had to be identified in light of global trends and in consideration of the key markets and areas that are forecast…
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01Nov 2018 by Andy No Comments

Darlington Economic Strategy

Economic growth, Local Authority, Strategy and policy development
Darlington Borough Council commissioned the Ortus team (whilst working at TBR), in collaboration with Urbis Regeneration, to provide support in developing a refresh of the Darlington Economic Strategy. The strategy was to be based on the competitive advantages of Darlington’s economic geography and our role was to identify and evidence the nature of these advantages and ways in which the strategy might build on them. we supported the Council team through both evidence gathering and advice and guidance in order to generate recommendations for strategic intervention in the areas of land and premises; skills and labour; capital investment; innovation; and promotion. In particular our brief required us to: Provide independent, robust, evidenced analysis of the regional, national and global economic future, that is capable of withstanding challengeProvide realistic, yet challenging…
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