Action to support Devon’s communities and businesses A timely and important conference for all concerned with sustaining communities in Devon through the recession and to ensure Devon is fit for the future. Wednesday 9 December 2009, 9.15 am – 2.00pm, Sandy Park, Exeter Catching the Tide programme: download here (25KB - pdf help) Travelling to Sandy Park (51KB - pdf help) & Map (64KB - pdf help)

Is Devon weathering the storm?
With the unemployment rate in the County significantly less than the national average, with house and land prices stabilising and signs that banks are once again lending to local businesses are we through the worst of the recession? Has Devon weathered the storm?

Statistics can be misleading. Devon’s unemployment rate is double the figure of a year ago. 10,000 Devonians are now registered job seekers, some of them previously high earning professionals. Some are school leavers who are in the Catch 22 of not having the work experience which will make them job-ready. Devon also has substantial numbers in seasonal jobs especially in tourism. And what the statistics cannot easily capture are those on a shorter working week and reduced wages. All this means there is less money circulating within the local economy and the results are plain to see in empty shop units in our high streets.

Is Devon County Council on the case?
Yes! A range of actions are now taking effect to support Devon’s communities and businesses and minimise the worst and immediate effects of the recession. Examples are:

• Continuing the speedy payment to creditors to assist cash flow for local businesses.
• Supporting credit unions, SW Pound and Citizen Advice Bureau to help prevent people falling prey to loan sharks and to assist families.
• Promoting Devon Business Angels, matchmaking investors to local businesses to allow growth, enterprise and diversification.
• Winning support from the Future Jobs Fund to create new jobs for young people.
• Funding a TV advertising campaign promoting Devon as a tourism destination.

The County Council is also looking to the future with major investments in infrastructure and key developments that will benefit all parts of Devon such as:

• The Building Schools for the Future programme, £180m capital works to create jobs and centres of learning for generations of our children.
• Securing £5 million to support rural businesses.
• Investing over £20 million in Science Park and Skypark Business Park to the east of Exeter.
• Improving business performance by providing capital grants to install renewable energy systems, reducing energy and operating costs.

Many of these programmes are being delivered in partnership, to add real value and avoid duplication of effort.

The County Council – a new direction of travel
The County Council Cabinet has recently agreed a Strategic Plan for the next four years with supporting enterprise and the local economy high on the list of priorities.  Cabinet has also agreed to prepare a Devon Economic Strategy which will help the Authority to fulfil its new statutory duty for local economic assessment from April next year.  Details of the new approach and how partners can contribute to this will be discussed on the day.

Catching the Tide
So the County Council is helping Devon’s communities and we are weathering the storm, but are we preparing for the upturn, are we ready to “catch the tide”?

Whenever the recession ends, there will be a delay before businesses invest for growth. Recovery, when it does come, will be uneven with some sectors and areas bouncing back faster than others.

But the tide will turn and it should be part of everyone’s role to talk up Devon’s prospects, we must avoid talking ourselves into a longer recession than it might be.

That is the purpose of this conference, to both review the present and look to the future.

• How do we ensure Devonians, particularly young people, have the right skills and training required for businesses to compete nationally and internationally?
• How do we secure fast, clean and reliable broadband infrastructure, at a reasonable cost, to connect up Devon for the 21^st Century?
• How do we move to a low carbon economy, increase resource efficiency and secure a better quality of life for all?
• How do we reduce inequalities and support areas struggling to recover?

We must look to the future and prepare for it now we are not to be left in the wake of progress. We must be ready to catch the tide!

For more information email: economy@devon.gov.uk