The Government first introduced its 'levelling up' policy back in 2019 to help raise aspirations in 'left-behind' areas and tackle the regional inequalities that exist throughout the UK.
Since then, it has become a flagship phrase in all major government announcements including last year's Autumn Budget where chancellor Rishi Sunak made a £56 million Levelling Up Fund commitment to Stoke-on-Trent.
And last week, levelling up secretary Michael Gove unveiled the Government's official plan for action in a new White Paper which includes 12 so-called 'national missions' to improve transport, broadband and education across Britain.
But only time will tell if areas such as Stoke-on-Trent will actually benefit from the ambitious programme.
We asked five business leaders from across the city what they thought needed to be done to bring the Potteries in line with London and the south - and what their biggest concerns were for the future.
Ramona Hirschi is the managing director of lettings and estate agency Belvoir Stoke-on-Trent.
The property expert says one of her biggest concerns is whether the economy can bounce back from the 'double cliff edge of Brexit and covid' and says levelling up should be about creating a 'more equal playing field for all'.
Ramona said: "To me, levelling up means addressing all the deficient aspects, allocating appropriate funding and ensuring a more equal playing field for all – creating the same opportunities regardless of geography."
And while she welcomes investment in transport and infrastructure in the city, she believes people need to 'change their mindsets' before society starts to see the impact.
Ramona said: "There's no doubt that our local transport network is deficient, whether it's the roads or public transport, and investment into improving this is greatly needed.
"We need this so we can function better as a city, let alone to try to compete with the south."
She added: "There are a lot of regeneration projects going on in Stoke-on-Trent, but unless people change their mindsets and grab the opportunities, their prospects and quality of life will not improve. Every day is a new day full of hope and opportunities.
"We can't control what government policies are going to be made but we can elect our politicians and hold them accountable to their promises. We have it in our power to create a better future for ourselves."
Josie Morris MBE is the managing director of Stone packaging company Woolcool.
She also believes that levelling up should mean equal opportunities – "regardless of race, age, gender, sexuality, religion, disability or location".
She wants to see action taken to address issues such as social mobility, homelessness, mental health, cost of living and sustainability, but is concerned about the "lack of strong, honourable and honest leadership in this country".
Josie said: "Without a strong leader who is focused on the people's interests and not their own, how do you make any positive societal change?
"There are many things that need to be addressed but, for me, investment in young people's opportunities and education is absolutely key. I'd also like to see investment in facilities, such as sport and other extra curricular provisions."
Josie added: "Improving transportation and infrastructure will definitely help as it will make it easier to travel in and out of Staffordshire which is good for those looking to live and work here as well as businesses looking to relocate to the area."
Entrepreneur Mo Chaudry, whose businesses include Waterworld and M Club in Etruria, does not have much faith that plans to level up Stoke-on-Trent will actually be delivered.
He said: "Levelling up should mean an equalisation of spend per head in our area compared to London region and thus improving quality of life and employability and progress.
"It is a good principle but I am sceptical whether it will actually be delivered in the manner that it needs to be, to make a real difference to peoples' lives.
"Politicians and bureaucrats are very good at making announcements but not great at delivery and getting things done.
"What people and businesses need right now is help with training and upping skills. For businesses generally, and certainly in the leisure and hospitality industries, there are real inflationary concerns with pay and job retention.
"Jobs will be lost, and some businesses will fail due to pressure of the living wage, recovering from two years of business inactivity and unsustainable debt.
"It is ticking time bomb once the Government financial life support is removed and the VAT and business rates reduction come to an end."
He added: "I fear the levelling up funding will not be seen quickly enough to make sufficient difference in the short term and people will struggle to manage their affairs, jobs will be lost and issues will arise – but we can rebuild better, educate better and work better the next time round.
"We will never be able to compete on an equal footing with London and the south in general but we can try and improve things."
Fellow entrepreneur Mo Iqbal, who is the chairman of Tunstall-based Tile Mountain, says the Government's levelling up agenda should be used to improve the life of citizens – and young people in particular – in cities such as Stoke-on-Trent.
He said: "For too long now, old industrial cities such as Stoke-on-Trent have lagged far behind - and our communities have been overlooked.
"Levelling up with the south is about more than transport and infrastructure, it is about moving more government departments to these cities rather than them being focused in the south of the country and transforming brownfield sites. In our city, there are many of examples of this but so much more could be done."
Mo added: "We need to increase home ownership and make people feel proud of the area they live in and there should be investment in activities such as sports for our younger generation to help get kids off the streets.
"There also needs to be a big investment in digital infrastructure - 5G coverage across the city is a must.
"I would certainly like to see more focus on improving our educational institutes and have specialist facilities to train our youth in the skills that will be required in the next 25 years."
Norman Tempest is managing director of tableware manufacturer Royal Stafford, which is based in Burslem.
When asked what levelling up means to him, he said: "Not a lot! It is a slogan from the Government to raise expectations and ultimately it will be very hard to quantify its effect."
