WE all know that 2011 is going to be a tough year economically. With unprecedented cuts being imposed on public sector organisations, we face the reality of thousands of job cuts aimed at balancing Britain’s books.

The outgoing boss of the CBI Sir Richard Lambert yesterday expressed his misgivings about the Coalition, accusing it of lacking the vision to support economic growth.

But whether we agree with the Government’s strategy or not – and we have repeatedly voiced our own concerns – it is important not to let bad news take over.

Of course, we have to acknowledge the negative consequences of the austerity drive, for it will have an impact on every community.

That is particularly the case in the North-East, which is so heavily dependent on the public sector. But we must not overlook the positive stories about the North-East’s economy which are out there.

The Northern Echo today launches a year-long series called Fighting Back, which aims to help provide that much-needed balance.

Each month, we will focus on different parts of the North-East, highlighting business success stories and analysing key economic issues.

We begin with a close look at Middlesbrough, a proud town widely regarded as suffering more than any other from the cuts.

It is an important series that we hope will provide a positive platform to promote the North-East in these challenging times.