It's time to go with the flow

May 23 2006 By Helen Logan Evening Gazette

Normally when we talk about the North-South divide it is our region which is the one lagging behind. For example, there is a £30bn productivity gap between the North and South.

This is something which has been flagged up by our Go For Jobs campaign.

Here the Highways Agency has been accused of risking more than 10,000 jobs and £1bn to the region's economy by stifling development which could add to the area's road congestion.

Those backing the Go for Jobs fight have charged the agency of perpetuating the North-South gap.

So it made a refreshing change to come across something where the North comes out ahead of the South.

And that is our plentiful supply of water.

Regeneration chiefs have long boasted about this resource when trying to promote the region to potential inward investors.

But now the availability of water has moved up the economic agenda and, as a result, it is believed, the time is right to push it more aggressively as a key selling point to attract businesses to the area.

So a concerted campaign has been launched to turn the South's water shortages to Teesside's economic advantage.

Tees Valley Regeneration has joined forces with Northumbrian Water to try to capitalise on the other end of the country's growing crisis by mounting a promotional initiative based on the availability of secure and plentiful water.

Now 2,000 southern companies, where water has been identified as crucial to their operation, are being targeted.

As Joe Docherty, chief executive of TVR, said: "We have a major asset here and we think it is time that industry in other areas was aware of what we have to offer."

Northumbrian Water has 22 reservoirs including Kielder, in Northumberland - Europe's largest man-made lake - which is linked by pipeline to the Tees Valley.

It will be interesting to see how successful the water argument is in attracting firms to the area.