Rochdale announces partnership with the Productivity Institute

Aerial photo of Kingsway Business Park

Following an event in early September to launch the Productivity Institute scientific paper; ‘On Productivity’, a research paper which seeks to understand and address gaps in economic performance across the UK, Rochdale has now secured a formal partnership with the Institute.

The Productivity Institute (PI) is a large UK-wide research organisation based at the University of Manchester.  Its work attracts global attention.

PI explores what productivity means for business, workers and communities, how it is measured and how it truly contributes to increased living standards and well-being for all.

The Productivity Institute has appointed a full-time researcher to do path-breaking work in collaboration with the Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) to measure at a local level the six 'capitals' set out by secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, Michael Gove MP in the White Paper on levelling up which he presented to Parliament in February 2022: human, financial, social, physical, intangible and institutional.

Councillor John Blundell, RDA board member and cabinet member for economy and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This is a truly ground breaking opportunity as it is it the first time that a scientific study by world class researchers will be undertaken to measure productivity in the borough.

“It is testament to the RDA and Rochdale Borough Council of their innovative and pioneering approach to truly understand the reasons behind the lower productivity in the area in order to create the right economic solutions to benefit all.

“This work places Rochdale at the frontiers of science in understanding and measuring the sources of productivity.”