The job of the local authority, in this case Herefordshire Council, isn’t just to plan for the next few days, months and years. It has to have long term economic plans to help keep the county sustainable and successful in the future.
Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet members will meet on Thursday to discuss Herefordshire Big Economic Plan for 2050. Detailing Herefordshire’s vision for a sustainable and successful future.
The plan focuses on a range of topics and headings, including the following:
People
Community and Partnerships
Environment and Climate Change
Enterprise
Infrastructure
Investment
In the Big Economic Plan, it details how Herefordshire aims to be an exemplar 21st century rural county. The talent of our people will drive both economic success and positive environmental and social change.
The report goes on to add:
“In doing so Herefordshire will create new opportunities for local people and businesses and good jobs, whilst protecting our natural environment and quality of life, and contributing to solving national and global challenges. This plan sets out our long-term vision and the outcomes we want to achieve, together with the actions we are going to take over the next 5 years.
“Herefordshire is a distinctive mix of modern and historic, with strong rural communities, flourishing market towns and a unique city. Our businesses are outward-looking, supplying global markets and with important connections to Wales, the West Midlands, Bristol, Cardiff, Worcestershire, and Manchester. This is a healthy place to live and work, with a very high quality of life, attracting people who want access to those major cities and clusters whilst also enjoying our natural environment and wide range of accessible sporting and outdoor opportunities.
“Our economy is a distinctive mix of the very new and long-established. We have talented people and businesses, including in cyber and technology, culture and creative industries, arts and heritage, construction, agriculture and food production, and manufacturing and engineering.
“Our visitor economy is high value and growing fast, reflecting our offer of arts, culture and food alongside the natural environment and high-quality places to stay. Many of our firms are leading the way in environmental technologies that are key to the UK’s low carbon transition.
“The global and national economy is in a period of deep uncertainty and inflationary pressure, which has already reduced living standards locally and held back investment and growth. At the same time, our local environment and the wider climate are under great pressure.”
The report then adds more detail:
“We will work together to secure funding and deliver the stronger and more resilient transport, digital and energy infrastructure that we need to transition to a low carbon, greener and more successful economy.
“Action on connectivity is also vital to enable existing residents and businesses to access new skills and opportunities and to attract new people to live and work in the county.
“We also need to invest in improving the energy efficiency of our existing housing and buildings, as well as
pioneering modern methods in construction.
“Local firms, landowners and the Council will work together to deliver the right mix of housing needed for our existing and future population, alongside the types of employment land needed in all parts of the county.
“We want to maximise the potential of all residents to contribute to the local economy and community groups. We have a rapidly ageing population and recruitment is an issue in all sectors. We will put in place new support to help young people understand and access the opportunities that exist in Herefordshire.
“We have an excellent and growing education offer, including NMITE, our new University. We will support older people to remain healthy and economically active through reskilling. We will also work together to design and deliver services differently, using technology and the skills of our voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations alongside local businesses, to meet the needs and opportunities of an older, dispersed
population.
“These actions will help tackle the constraints on productivity and business growth which in turn mean that wages here are often lower than they could be. There is a strong link between income, health and wellbeing and too many of our residents struggle to afford a decent standard of living and housing. Whilst many of these challenges are national and global in scale, we cannot rely on markets and national Government action to solve them locally.
Interested in reading more? View the full Big Economic Plan now – (Public Pack)5: Herefordshire Big Economic Plan 2022 – branded version Agenda Supplement for Cabinet, 26/01/2023 13:00
