What it Means for Our City and the VCSE Sector
Leeds City Council has launched a new Economic Vision for Leeds, setting out how the city can grow its economy by £20 billion and create up to 100,000 new jobs over the next decade.
The plan builds on the city’s wider Leeds Ambitions framework — Healthy, Growing, Thriving, Resilient — and outlines seven key steps to achieving sustainable, inclusive growth that benefits everyone who lives and works in Leeds.
A city built on collaboration
Leeds is already home to a diverse and resilient £36 billion economy, outperforming the national average and driven by three high-growth sectors: health, digital and tech, and finance, business and professional services.
The new Vision aims to maximise the benefits of that growth — creating better places to live, improving connectivity through transport, and ensuring new opportunities reach communities across the city. By strengthening local productivity, the strategy seeks to raise wages and living standards while tackling poverty and inequality.
Seven steps to growth
The Leeds Economic Vision focuses on delivery through seven steps that include:
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Pushing our sectors, powered by skills
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Attracting talent, investment and visitors
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Being ready for new opportunities
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Championing innovation and digital adoption
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Creating high-quality, connected places to live and work
This joined-up approach is designed to unlock potential across every part of the city — from global businesses and start-ups to neighbourhood projects and community initiatives.
Why this matters to the VCSE sector
A strong and inclusive local economy supports the work of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across Leeds. Growth brings new jobs, skills, and partnerships — but it also needs to be shaped by the voices of communities.
Forum Central will continue to ensure that the VCSE sector plays a key role in delivering the city’s ambitions — helping make Leeds not just a prosperous city, but a fair and compassionate one.
Find out more
Read the full Leeds Economic Vision and delivery plan at:
👉 www.leedseconomicvision.co.uk
To discuss how your organisation can contribute to the city’s inclusive growth agenda, contact the Inclusive Growth team at:
📩 Inclusive.Growth.Strategy@leeds.gov.uk
