Dundee is performing poorly and has been harder hit by the recession than most other cities, according to new research.
Among the findings in the Centre for Cities: Cities Outlook 2013 is evidence that Dundee’s population is beginning to rise, but it is one of the slowest growing cities in the UK, placed 60th out of 64, with an increase in population of just 1,500 to 147,000 in the 10-year period from 2001-2011.
The findings also show that the city is among the 10 lowest in the country for business start-ups (61st out of 64), the lowest business stock (63rd) and the number of patents approved (59th with just 1.4 patents approved per 100,000 population).
Meanwhile it is among the top 10 cities in the UK (56th, at 5.6%) for those claiming Job Seekers Allowance.
However the city performs well in the high-speed broadband league table, sitting at fifth in the UK at 81% (postcodes achieving Super Fast Broadband speeds).
The city’s economic performance between 1998-2008 was described as “struggling” while in housing it lies fifth bottom of the country’s cities in terms of vacancies, and hitting the bottom spot in the table for cities with the lowest housing stock growth in the UK.
The figures also showed that Dundee is among the 10 cities with the lowest level of growth in jobs (57th) in the private sector.
Average weekly earnings in the city in 2012 were £410. This represents a drop of £21 in real terms over the previous year.
Kevin Keenan, Labour group leader on Dundee City Council, said: “These new figures underline the need for more long-term investment in the city’s infrastructure.
“The responsibility rests on the Scottish Government to indicate the ‘shovel ready’ projects that it will support to benefit the city by boosting growth and creating jobs.”
Dundee City Council administration leader Councillor Ken Guild responded by saying that a new report yesterday by the Bank of Scotland on jobs revealed that there was a “marked rise” in people securing permanent and temporary work in Dundee.
“Simultaneously, Dundee housing experts have also expressed ‘solid grounds for optimism’ in the local market,” he said. “I am tired of Labour trying to run down the city for their own selfish political point scoring.
“They also choose to ignore the fact that during the early part of the Centre for Cities’ review, there were Labour administrations here in the city chambers and at Westminster.”
He said the administration is “already investing in local communities” with a £450 million building programme including new schools, leisure facilities and housing.