European academics visit Rochdale

Back: Councillor John Blundell, Andrzej Nowak, Jeff Johnson and Councillor Richard Farnell
Front: John Ormerod, Mayor Carol Wardle, Emanuela Merrelli, Simon Danczuk MP

A group of European academics have spent two days visiting Rochdale to suggest ways to improve the area’s long term economic outlook and regeneration plans.

All experts in their respective fields, they are members of Non-Equilibrium Social Science (NESS), a European Union commissioned group with a key focus on economics and establishing a network of leading scholars and practitioners to help understand complex social and economic systems.

Paul Ormerod, author, economist and partner at economic consultancy Volterra, Andrzej Nowak, of the Department of Psychology and the director of the Complex Systems Institute at the University of Warsaw in Poland, Jeff Johnson, of the Open University’s Department of Maths and Emanuela Merrelli of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Camerino in Italy visited the town hall on Wednesday 30 July.

There they met with Mayor Carol Wardle, Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration Councillor Richard Farnell, Assistant Cabinet Member for Regeneration Councillor John Blundell and Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk.

Councillor Farnell said: “The purpose of this visit was to explore how new scientific thinking can improve the economic stock of Rochdale borough. These people are the best in the business and are helping to deliver fresh ideas.”

Councillor Blundell added: “The group spent two days in the borough with the aim of sharpening our regeneration plans, giving us constructive criticism and encouragement. They really enjoyed their visit and commented that this was a very positive area with good things to come.”