The north east development council: its aims, resources and achievements 1961 - 1972

Abstract

As indicated in the INTRODUCTION, this Thesis is concerned principally with the way in which the North EastDevelopment Council tried to adapt to changing economic conditions during the period 1961 t o 1972. The year 1972 marked the end of an era for the Council because, in the year following, arrangements were being made to re-organise the Council in order that its industrial promotion activity should apply to the whole of the Northern Region instead of just to the North East and the Council subsequently became known as the North of England Development Council. The work opens with a description of the economic circumstances which preceded the inauguration of the Council. This is followed by an assessment of the significance of the terms "region" and " industrial structure." Examination is then made both of the aims of the Council and of some of the Council ideas which lay behind the pursuit of these aims. The ideas referred to were about the creation of employment opportunities, about the problems of new skills and the retraining of labour, about the shortage of Service Industry in the North East and about the efficacy of market research as a Council activity. This last topic was thought to be especially related to industrial structure and is therefore treated in the chapter on that subject and not under "Pursuit of Aims." The low rate of growth of Northern GDP per head is next considered and comparison is made between expected and actual growth of Northern investment. The role of the Council in securing this investment is assessed and the outcome of the Council's efforts is set both against the Council's limited resources and against other difficulties which beset the Council.