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 | The new Strategy was endorsed by the County Council in March 2006 and provides the policy framework for the Council’s work to regenerate Warwickshire’s communities and enhance the competitiveness of our businesses. The last Strategy was published in 2001 and a great deal |
has happened since then. Over the last five years mobile technology and further innovation in our use of ICT has changed the way we work. We are seeing the effects of globalisation and the shift towards a service based economy affecting the jobs available to our workforce and our young people. | | |
During that period our work on regeneration and on enhancing our competitiveness has led to:-
- significant new investment in infrastructure,
concentrated especially on areas where there are
high levels of deprivation, leading to improved
facilities for local people;
- increased opportunities for young people and
the workforce to get the training they need to
equip themselves to meet the employment
needs of tomorrow;
- investment by new and existing businesses to
enhance their competitiveness, provide new
jobs and create wealth. | |
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Warwickshire can claim to have one of the most successful economies in the West Midlands. In the national context, however, our achievements are only average and if we compare ourselves with our neighbours to the south and east we are hardly in the same league. To sum it up, we are on the right track but need to do better!
The new Strategy, therefore, builds on past progress and is evolutionary rather than a radical departure from our previous plans. There is a new emphasis on skills and tourism and we take account of new external influences and ‘drivers for change’. We have set out the Council’s current intentions but within the next few months we will be establishing a Local Area Agreement on economic development and enterprise with our partners which will further build on the Strategy to deliver a shared agenda. As the recent announcement from Peugeot reminds us only too well, we cannot always predict the future perfectly. However, if we are well prepared, well connected and set our sights on striving for the best for the residents and economy of our county, then we will can look forward to the next five years with confidence.
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 | Chris Saint
Economic Development Portfolio Holder
June 2006 |
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