Posted on Wednesday 25th January 2012
Staffordshire’s economic lead is reassuring residents that the county is pulling out all the stops to support local businesses after latest figures reveal the UK’s GDP has shrunk.
The Office for National Statistics has today announced that the UK’s economic activity dropped by 0.2 per cent between October and December 2011.
However, the statistics also show that overall the economy grew by 0.9 per cent last year.
County Councillor Ben Adams said he is rolling out the red carpet to support local companies as well as encouraging high profile global firms to set up shop in Staffordshire.
The county has attracted a number of leading companies in the last year, creating thousands of new jobs and supporting even more existing posts.
County Councillor Adams added: “In Staffordshire we are committed to supporting businesses, whether they are leading global names or small family enterprises, and helping them to thrive.
“It is this focus that has put the county on the map and has led to national inward investment experts Breeze Strategy Inward Solutions hailing Staffordshire as a leader in job creation.
“Last year we were incredibly successful in attracting some of the world’s biggest manufacturing and high street names including Jaguar Land Rover, Amazon and John Lewis.
“We will be building on that success when we will launch a single number advice helpline – 0300 111 8002 - on February 1 to give local businesses the help they need to develop and prosper in what continue to be challenging financial times.”
Jaguar Land Rover will be building a new hyper sophisticated engine plant at i54 in South Staffordshire, bringing with it 750 jobs at the site as well as many more in the supply chain.
The announcement in September followed Amazon’s decision in the summer to open a site in Rugeley which has created more than 700 positions, Fox’s Biscuits pledge to stay in Uttoxeter and Perkins Engines creating an extra 107 jobs in Stafford.
Nestle is also investing £110 million at Tutbury to create a world class coffee manufacturing facility which will bring 300 extra jobs. The extension at the existing Nescafe Dolce Gusto plant will treble its capacity.
The plant already employs 500 people and the company plans to double its number of graduates, apprentices and internships.
The new single number helpline is all part of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s drive to lay out the red carpet for business – making it easy for any business to invest and grow in the area.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire County Council and the Chambers of Commerce have all backed the six month trial project.
It will act as one point of contact and make it easier for businesses, big or small, to get the advice they need with minimum fuss