Newport's productivity outstrips other Welsh cities
Posted on Tuesday 7th February 2017
An influential report published this week revealed that levels of productivity in Newport are higher than Cardiff and Swansea.
Cities Outlook 2017, produced by Centre for Cities, examined important data from 62 cities in the UK.
Its main focus was on exports to the EU and the rest of the world in the wake of the Brexit vote, but also at economic performance.
One of the aspects Centre for Cities looked at was gross value added (GVA) which is the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area.
In Newport, the GVA per worker in 2015 was £45,600 compared to £44,800 in Cardiff and £42,800 in Swansea. The Newport's figure was also better than some English cities.
The report said that productivity and innovation are drivers of long-run economic growth.
Councillor Debbie Wilcox, Leader of Newport City Council, said: "These figures show why Newport is a great place to do business. Our city has been through some very tough times as a result of the global recession, but we have a fantastic workforce that have a lot to offer employers.
"Where the council is able to make a difference, we are doing everything we can to help make the city a better place to live, work and visit. We are full participants in the City Deal which will invest £1.2 billion in the south east Wales region, including Newport, over the next two decades."