Keele University and local partners have been chosen by the Local Government Association (LGA), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and Universities UK (UUK) to be a Leading Places pilot area. The initiative provides specialist support for councils, universities, the NHS, and other anchor institutions to work together to help drive growth, redesign public services, and strengthen civic participation.

The focus for the Leading Places project is the New Keele Deal, the plan designed by the University and local partners for investment in innovation-led local growth.

The New Keele Deal is a plan for £70 million of investment by Keele University, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership to exploit the potential of Keele University’s world-leading research and facilities.

Dr Mark Bacon, Director of Research, Innovation and Engagement at Keele University, commented: “We have a long-standing history of working with local partners to create the foundations for businesses to grow, and being named as a Leading Places pilot area is testament to our commitment to helping local businesses to grow and become more resilient.

“The New Keele Deal will support businesses to utilise new knowledge and ideas in order to create competitive advantage by improving their products, services and business processes. It will support thousands of business to create new jobs, save thousands of tonnes of carbon and inject millions into the local supply chain; not just for the benefit of businesses in Keele and Newcastle-under-Lyme – this is a deal that invests money that will stay local and benefit everyone in Staffordshire.”

For more information about the Leading Places scheme, visit the Local Government Association website.