04 November 2008
Joint Economic Commission for the Northwest agrees actions on
economic downturn
Regional Minister Beverley Hughes has announced seven actions to
ensure that the North West emerges from the economic downturn
stronger than before.
This work programme, agreed at the first meeting of the Joint
Economic Commission for the North West, is a coordinated response
by public and private sectors to the threat to families and
businesses in the region.
Commission members agreed to:
• To work together to deliver three existing strategic
projects – the M62 corridor, the ‘energy west coast’ in Cumbria and
the renewable sector.
• Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and
Government Office for the North West to work together to identify
strategic projects at risk of not being completed and to propose
solutions.
• GONW and Homes and Community Agency to identify specific
issues concerning housing for discussion at the next JEC
meeting.
• Minister for the North West to write to all public sector
organisations in the region to encourage prompt payments.
• A separate subgroup to be set up to look at supporting
apprenticeships in the public and private sectors.
• NWDA to work with Business Link and Jobcentre Plus to
clarify support available for debt counselling and financial
support for small and medium size enterprises.
• The Commission to consider the impact and opportunities
from environmental schemes in the region in the longer term.
Minister for the North West, Beverley Hughes said:
“This was a constructive meeting with a robust exchange of views
which gave us a good overview of how the current economic
challenges are being felt in the North West by businesses and
families.
“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.
“There was agreement that we need this degree of focus if the
North West is to emerge from the present downturn stronger than
before and acknowledgement also that this requires action at an
individual and joint level across the public, private and third
sectors.
“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 noted that there action is already under way at
the local, regional and national levels, including the package of
measures that has already been put in place by the Northwest
Regional Development Agency
This package, launched by the Prime Minister, includes improving
access to finance support for small businesses through Business
Link Northwest; a £140m Venture Capital Loan Fund on the way in
2009; £40m support for priority skills training; £10m support for
1,000 high-growth businesses in the region and £4m Innovation
Vouchers Scheme to encourage 1100 businesses to interact with the
further education and higher education institutions across the
region.
Bryan Gray, chair of the Northwest Regional Development Agency
and deputy chair of the Joint Economic Commission, said:
“It is clear that global, national and regional economic
conditions are changing and becoming increasingly tough. The
members of the Joint Economic Commission are unified, and
determined to work with and ensure that businesses and households
get the support they need in these times of uncertainty. We
will continue to prioritise our investments to ensure that growth
continues well into the future.
“The region has built a strong platform to withstand the
down-turn in the economy. But tough decisions are required now to
help businesses and communities through the short to medium term
challenges. Cash flow and lending in particular are the major
pinch points and it’s essential the public sector does what it can
to get the financial system moving again.”
The Regional Minister will now feed back to Regional Economic
Council on Wednesday (5 Nov), which is chaired by the Chancellor
and the Secretary of State for Business and Regulatory Reform.
Notes to Editors
1. The full list of Commission members is as follows: Beverley
Hughes (Chair); Bryan Gray (Chair, NWDA), Lord Peter Smith (Chair,
4NW), Clive Elphick (Chair, NW CBI); Angie Robinson(Chief
Executive, GM Chamber of Commerce); Stuart Chambers (Chair, NW
Business Leadership Team); Len Collinson (Director General, Private
Sector Partners); Liz Meek (Regional Director, GONW); Mike
Farrar(Chief Executive, NW NHS); Dominic Brankin (Director,
Jobcentre Plus NW); David Grunwell (Director, Network Operations
NW, Highways Agency); Deborah McLaughlin (Regional Director
Designate, Homes & Community Agency); John Korzeniewski
(Regional Director, NW Learning and Skills Council); Richard
Caulfield (Chief Executive, Voluntary Sector NW); Alan Manning (NW
Regional Secretary ofTUC).
2. The Regional Economic Council, which meets quarterly,
brings together Regional Ministers, chairs of Regional Development
Agencies and representatives of business and trades unions. It is
chaired by the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business,
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Its purpose is to ensure that the
issues and concerns of each region are heard and acted upon. It
supports the National Economic Council which coordinates economic
activity across Government.
For further information: Clive Naish, Regional Information
Officer
Tel: 0161 952 4517
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT OFFICE
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