Lymedale Park - a former coal mining site

Strategy puts jobs on the menu

Staffordshire's economic regeneration team have set an ambitious target of helping to create 65,000 new opportunities by 2021.

The County Council has already generated over 9,000 jobs since the early 1990s through the development of new business sites and premises, and the marketing of Staffordshire as a premier place to visit and invest.

Now the Council's Cabinet - has backed the latest jobs drive approving a new Economic Development Strategy.

The Strategy promises thousands of new jobs but also looks at supporting and developing the future of the 400,000 jobs already created.

It also focuses on working even more closely with partners across the public and private sector to maximise growth benefits.

The plan will focus on improving skills, achieving greater economic diversification, modernising the economy and looking to long-term sustainable growth.

And it will also build upon some of the success stories of the past decade including:

The innovative Destination Management Partnership - putting Staffordshire to the front of the pack as a natural top destination for UK and International visitors

Kingswood Lakeside and Silverdale Enterprise Park employment sites

The Rural Broadband project bringing IT services to the remotest parts of the County

The Climate Change Action Plan - generating new technologies and new opportunities at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Development John Wakefield said it was time to move up a gear.

"This high level strategy builds on the energy, innovation and commitment of the County's regeneration team working closely with a wide range of ocal and regional partners. Now we need to raise our game again.

"Investors and entrepreneurs have been recognising the advantages of moving into Staffordshire. Now we need to develop and promote those benefits even more aggressively.

"Staffordshire has a unique winning menu to offer - a skilled workforce, a beautiful environment, a pivotal location at the heart of the UK transport system, a competitive cost base and two stunning centres of innovation in Keele and Staffordshire Universities.

"The expansion of the Keele University Science Park, for example, will generate tremendous opportunities for new businesses with cutting edge technologies, generating large numbers of high quality jobs for local people and graduates from the university.

Staffordshire really is on the up and we want maintain that pace of change," he said.

Page Last Modified: 30/01/2007 16:03:31

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