Commission sets out action plan
A NEW commission established to help lessen the impact of the economic downturn on North West business has drawn up its first action plan.
The Joint Economic Commission, led by regional minister Beverley Hughes, will feed back to a new National Economic Council set up by Gordon Brown to inform government policy.
It said it would:
- Focus on three existing strategic projects – the M62 corridor, the “energy west coast” in Cumbria and the renewable sector.
- Identify strategic projects at risk of not being completed.
- Look at specific issues concerning housing.
- Write to all public sector organisations in the region to encourage prompt payments.
- Look at supporting apprenticeships in the public and private sectors.
- Clarify support available for debt counselling and financial support for small and medium size enterprises.
- Consider the impact and opportunities from environmental schemes.
Ms Hughes said: “We discussed what action is being taken to mitigate its worst effects in the short term, while examining opportunities for the region to support the eventual upturn in the economy.”
She added: “The Commission was clear that it is not a case of creating new initiatives, but doing things better, understanding and filling any support gaps, and prioritising activities where they can deliver the most impact. The group particularly discussed issues relating to development and regeneration, access to finance, response to redundancies, and procurement.”
The commission has 15 members including Bryan Gray, chair of the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Angie Robinson, chief executive of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Alan Manning, North West regional secretary of the TUC.
