I was in a meeting recently between MPs and BBC execs. The former wanted to talk about one thing: getting more of the BBC’s jobs and spending out of London. Fair enough. Our national broadcaster should be… national.
Everyone agrees on the need to increase the range of people and perspectives on our screens but how much difference would it make economically?
By coincidence, research has just been released with the answer. It quantifies the impact of the single biggest relocation by the BBC (or any public sector body) out of London this century – the 2011/12 shift of 1,700 roles, such as the BBC Breakfast department, to Salford Quays in Greater Manchester. By 2017, the broadcaster had around 4,000 staff on site.
The study measured the impact of the relocation by comparing Salford’s economic trajectory with developments in other similar local authorities. They found that it had transformed Salford’s creative industry.
For each BBC role, 0.55 additional creative private sector jobs were created – 2,000 roles by 2017, increasing the sector’s share of local employment from 6% to 11% in just five years. Over 220 more creative businesses emerged and average wages rose by 8%.
However, even the BBC isn’t big enough to solve regional economic divides. Relocating public sector roles isn’t an alternative to investment in our great cities, so that they have adequate transport systems crucial for prosperity in large urban areas – the tram got to Salford long before the BBC.
But this research does demonstrate that big relocation programmes make a difference. And the researchers aren’t part of some pro-Greater Manchester mafia. Where are they largely based? London.
• Torsten Bell is Labour MP for Swansea West and author of Great Britain? How We Get Our Future Back
