Our former coalfield communities have an untapped potential, waiting to be unleashed. The release of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coalfield Communities’ Next Steps in Levelling Up the Former Coalfields report provides a roadmap to regeneration that is within our grasp. This report is a call to action, that balances the profound challenges we face, with the hope and opportunity that is possible by revitalising our once bustling towns and villages.

The report’s stark revelations demand our immediate attention. While our cities and urban centres thrive and former coalfields are battling to survive, trying to carve out our place in the modern economy. The numbers speak volumes: a mere 55 employee jobs per 100 working-age residents, far below the national average and trailing behind our vibrant regional cities. Hope and opportunity start by bridging this economic divide to unlock the transformative potential of these communities.

The report’s recommendations present us with a clear and actionable roadmap towards economic resurgence. At the forefront is the need to invest in local transport infrastructure, rejuvenating our rail and road networks which connect and fuel the industrial engine of our coalfields. Our bus and rail services are being neglected, shutting down vital links to employment and education. A fully functioning, frequent, and reliable public transport network is required to lift our communities and connect us to the opportunities on our doorstep. Without the ability to connect people with work and businesses with customers, economic growth is impossible.

We also need to harness the innovation within our community. This means turning our mining heritage into our economic future. There is no greater example than the untapped potential of geothermal mine water as a sustainable and green energy source. This resource can allow us to tap into a new realm of economic activity while contributing to the fight against climate change. Now is the time to think boldly, embrace change, and leverage our unique heritage to create new opportunities for employment and prosperity.
As we promote the report’s recommendations, we must consider the need for accountability and real action. The government must recognise that its current levelling-up policies have not addressed the needs of our communities. The opposite is true, with squandered resources and disappointments, through rejected bids to their headline levelling up fund. Nearly £100m, including £20m for Horden, was blocked during the last stage of the levelling up fund process. We need a government that holds itself to a higher standard, ensuring that its rhetoric is matched by substantive and measurable results. This is the only way to forge a new path forward, where every individual and community feel the tangible benefits of a truly inclusive economy.

In East Durham, we have witnessed first-hand the challenges of levelling up. The government’s rejection of County Durham levelling-up bids, including crucial funding for housing regeneration in Horden, has tested our resolve. However, we must remain undeterred. We will redouble our efforts and continue working collaboratively, to overcome our principal hurdle: The Government.

The release of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coalfield Communities’ report offers a turning point, setting out a roadmap for the economic resurgence of former coalfield communities. We need a government with the energy and drive to embrace a new vision that empowers former coalfield communities to reclaim our rightful place in the economic landscape. This is a plan to reignite hope, foster prosperity, and build a brighter future for all. It is through action, rooted in compassion and determination, that we will transform the former coalfields into beacons of opportunity, equality, and shared success.

APPG Coalfield Communities Report: Next Steps in Levelling Up the Former Coalfields https://www.appgcoalfields.co.uk/coalfields-inquiry