DUDLEY is one of the 10 most ‘left behind’ cities and towns in the country, according to a new report.

The report, titled ‘The Future of Work: Regional Devolution’, studies the impact that a number of factors have had, or are likely to have, on cities and towns across the country.

And, using a combination of factors - including size, percentage of jobs at risk of automation, score on the Social Mobility Commission’s Social Mobility Index and levels of Gross Value Added per head - it has created a list of 10 left behind cities and towns.

This means that, among other things, Dudley is particularly vulnerable to the future automation of jobs, as well as scoring low for social mobility.

The report,  by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), found that the majority of the 10 most left behind areas are former industrial communities, which “struggled when major employers (predominantly in the manufacturing and production sectors) disappeared in the second half of the 20th century”.

It goes on to make a series of recommendations to the government, one of which is to create a series of ‘Enterprise Zones’ in each of the ten most effected areas. An Enterprise Zone is an area in which state incentives such as tax concessions are offered to encourage business investment.

Responding to the report Councillor Keiran Casey, Dudley's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said that the town wasn’t taking ‘anything for granted’ when it came to its future.

And he added that, while the council is working hard to try and fix some of the issues outlined in the report, the government should also shoulder its share of the responsibility.

“The recent report published by the Centre for Social Justice raises a number of issues facing many towns and cities right across the UK,” he said.

“I think it’s also clear that the findings highlight major concerns about a lack of action by central Government and the need to do much more, working with local councils to ensure towns like ours get a fair deal and don’t miss out.

“There are a number of important points in the study about the rapid changes taking place in the economy and the impact this will have, particularly with things like automation taking place on a large scale and the impact on traditional industries.

“That’s why, here in Dudley, we have a clear vision for our borough and a plan to make it a Centre of Excellence for Business, Education and Skills, working with local companies and educational facilities so that we have the skills base to ensure local residents can compete in the modern economy and so that we can bridge the skills gap and attract the new high-tech, high-skilled and high-paid jobs of the future to Dudley.

“I also want to make sure that as a borough we have the infrastructure to be able to attract new high-tech start-ups in future technologies and temp existing businesses to re-locate to Dudley.

“We have more than £200 million of investment planned within the borough over the next five years in advanced manufacturing, transport innovation and retail/leisure sectors and we already have an Enterprise and Innovation Zone at DY5 which was launched last year offering new occupants business rate relief and rate discounts, which is expected to create over 7,000 new jobs over the next 25 years.

“We are committed to providing improved transport links and the arrival of the new Metro tram extension from Wednesbury through Dudley to the heart of the Enterprise Zone will also help to improve access to jobs and skills for local people.

“As cabinet member for regeneration I want to make sure that we are as ambitious as we can be and I have said time and time again that Dudley needs to be a leader in these new technologies.

“So I am clear on what our vision for Dudley should be and don’t take anything for granted”.

Other towns and cities in the top 10 were Doncaster, Wigan, Blackpool, Mansfield, Barnsley, Bradford, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent and Wakefield.