NEWPORT will benefit from an investment fund of £1.28bn when the City Deal becomes a reality, some time after the budget in March, business people in the city were told today.

The fund is part of the deal for the Cardiff Capital Region which will see councils from Monmouthshire to Bridgend work alongside national and Welsh government to promote the whole area in a bid to boost the south east Wales economy.

Will Godfrey, chief executive of Newport City Council, was speaking about the City Deal at the third Newport City Summit, held at the Riverfront Theatre today.

More than 200 people attended the event to hear what the city should be doing to go forward post the opening of Friars Walk in November last year.

Mr Godfrey said that Newport was a growing city and that it should take advantage of that growth.

He said: "We need to shout much louder about the opportunities here and about the case for Newport."

But he said also that the city should not try to compete with the likes of Bristol and Cardiff as it may win on some things but would lose on others.

It was more important, he said, for them all to work together for the benefit of the region.

Another speaker at the event was Amanda Davies, chief executive of Seren Group, who highlighted the work of her organisation in providing affordable and other homes in the city.

She spoke about the work of the Vibrant and Viable Places programme in conjunction with Seren which is seeing buildings like Griffin Island right in the heart of the city centre close to the indoor market, being brought back to life with a number of apartments being created for rent.

She also told those present of another scheme which would see an eyesore building in Commercial Street being replaced with a development of apartments for older people.

Other speakers were Roger Hiscott, of Newport Economic Network, who urged Newport to create a brand for the future rather than looking to its past, Katy Chamberlain, of Business in Focus, and Matthew Turner, of the National Software Academy.

_________________

 

The third Newport City Summit was held at the Riverfront today and heard from speakers including Will Godfrey, Chief Executive of Newport Council.

Business Editor Jo Barnes was at the summit for the Argus.