Four weeks into her new role as chief executive of Newcastle City Council, Pam Smith has some bold claims about the future of the city and its ambitions to lead the way on clean energy, digital industries and life sciences. Newcastle is, she says, ‘leading the fourth industrial age'.

But first, she is effusive about the place and the people of the city. ‘It is the friendliest city in the world…I'm not just saying this as the chief executive.'