What are the Leeds Ambitions and why are they important?

Having lived in Leeds for over twenty years now, it’s fair to say that the city has changed quite a bit over that time. When I came here as a fresh-faced and enthusiastic student in 2003, my abiding memory was the strong smell of hops, wafting over the city centre from the nearby Tetley brewery.

Team Leeds

Fitting then, that as I made my way towards the Leeds City College Printworks campus for the launch of the refreshed Leeds Ambitions, I walked through that very same brewery site, which is now home to Leeds’s newest urban park.

The Leeds Ambitions

The refreshed ambitions form a roadmap, focused on tackling poverty and inequality, and fall under four headings.

Healthy

A strong focus on the health of the city’s inhabitants – and tackling health inequality – is a cornerstone of these ambitions. With a vibrant healthcare sector within the district, as well as some of the biggest hospital estates in the country, we are well-placed to take a lead on this. The power of physical activity will also feature heavily, as social prescribing becomes a key watchword at national government level. Helping residents lead healthy lives has never been so important.

Growing

Leeds’s economy must grow in order to support these ambitions, and there are positive signs for the future. The city is already a leader in financial services and fintech. We have three excellent Universities that will drive research excellence, and our sixth-from provision is something to be proud of. The city is also growing physically, as the city centre limits push to the south, and major regeneration projects come to life in areas such as Holbeck and Mabgate.

Thriving

Empowering individuals to take decisions that will create positive change will be at the heart of a thriving city, and this starts with the individual. If you allow residents to thrive, socially, economically and professionally, you have the ingredients for success. A big part of this ambition will revolve around community. Leeds is made up of fantastic and diverse communities, who all want to see their inhabitants succeed. There is the opportunity for a cohesive effort that will be greater than the sum of its parts.

Resilient

As a city, there’s a realisation that we do not exist in a vacuum. Our resilience is interlinked with the performance of our neighbours, the wider north, and indeed, the country as a whole. However, there are steps we can take that will ensure we are doing our bit and leading the way. Our attitude towards nature and the climate sits at the core of this ambition. Steps are already being taken to restore natural habitats and plans are in place to ensure Leeds becomes the UK’s first net-zero and nature-positive city.

Yasper's offices on the Leeds waterfront

How will the Leeds Ambitions be realised?

Words without action are meaningless. So, now that the foundations have been laid, the real work can begin. The new Leeds Ambitions have unashamedly been built around one shared purpose – tackling inequality. And through that goal, the city will grow.

While many organisations have ‘values’ the real challenge is how these translate into action. Under each of these four headings, the Council’s team will put in place targeted and tangible outcomes that will underwrite the decisions the authority makes.

There will of course be bumps in the road, but having a plan is only the start. If every conversation in the city – whether that be in civic circles, the private sector, or within charities – is framed by this vision, it will provide a coherent direction. Leeds has a unique attitude of sharing and collaborating for the greater good. We don’t stoop to infighting and undermining peers, and that stands us in good stead.

What makes these ambitions unique?

One thing stands out from how the new ambitions have been developed, and this speaks to one of the unique characteristics of Leeds that many know and love: the power of the collective. The Council’s executive team have been hard at work over recent months, listening. They have been speaking to businesses, educators, charities and individuals about what makes Leeds tick.

At the launch, a range of those charged with this important task were in attendance to hear the outcome of those conversations. Indeed, attendees included the chief executives of two charities who have been involved in the process and for which I act as a trustee.

Any city’s approach and ambitions need to reflect its character. It has often been noted that Leeds isn’t as brash as some of its northern counterparts, but it is every bit their equal, if not better. This humble yet bold approach was summed up by one of the speakers, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, with the reflection: “Don’t underestimate what you can achieve, when you don’t care who gets the credit.”