In a bid to deliver a more inclusive economy a leading Trafford Labour politician has welcomed an updated delivery plan that supports council’s priorities while meeting new challenges in a more focused and long-term way.
Cllr Liz Patel, Executive member for Economy and Regeneration, tabled the updated Trafford Inclusive Economy Delivery Plan (TIEDP) during the meeting of Executive on Monday.
The document, originally drafted to support the borough’s businesses to primality recover from the impact of the pandemic, has been improved to consider the authority’s innovative projects and initiatives, source available funding – and face current challenges including tackling poverty and the cost-of-living crisis.
The paper, first approved in 2021, successfully met 97pc of its actions against nine of its priority themes, which included:
- Business Support and Sustainable Job Creation
- The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme provided around £12m in financial support to more than 2,600 businesses. In addition, information officers were procured to deliver support to hundreds of town centre businesses.
- Green Economy and Sustainable Job Creation
- Secured funding from GMCA to commission two detailed carbon studies on Trafford Park. The two studies focus on Greening Trafford Park and Low Carbon Trafford Park
- Sustainable Jobs and Skills Growth for Local Residents
- Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) supported 121 businesses and 291 Trafford residents.
- Skills Support for Unemployed (SSU) has supported 444 Trafford residents and 110 moved into employment.
- Social Value Charter and Action Plan produced with a clear aim to support local communities, employment, and job creation.
- Funding and Growth
- Coordination of six bids to tranche three of the Brownfield Land Fund, of which three were successful, Botanical Gardens, Tamworth, and Stretford Mall.
- Submission of £20m bid to the Levelling Up Fund Round two, to deliver the Sale Public Realm and Movement Strategy, and worked with the relevant teams to coordinate the council’s other submissions for Partington and Culture.
- Strategic Sites Development and Job Creation
- Supporting the Trafford Waters development through accessing and coordination HIF funding.
- Supporting progression of the Carrington Relief Road project
- Improved Town Centres for Residents and Businesses
- Successfully delivered the Reopening High Streets Safely/Welcome Bank Fund project – 30 plus projects were delivered utilising £270k of funding including various road closures to facilitate safe social distancing, multiple business communications, visitor marketing campaigns, Covid-19 safe messaging in our town centres.
- Altrincham Public Realm works commenced.
- Inward Investment and Sustainable Job Creation
- Trafford Business Guide produced.
Cllr Liz Patel said: “Recognising the positive role Trafford Council would play in the borough’s recovery the Executive produced the first EDP to support residents and businesses out of difficult times.
As we start this year, this economy is still considered to be recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic and we now face the uncertainty created by inflation and interest rises. We have a real challenge supporting people out of poverty and the cost-of-living crises; so, it is timely to produce an updated plan that will consider the council’s corporate priorities, new projects, and initiatives.
“This report details many areas of success including securing significant funding to help regenerate our town centres in addition to increasing skills and our training programmes.
“This plan is designed to be a proactive and relatable set of objectives that will make a real difference to our businesses and local communities.”
The Plan contains six themes as follows:
- Business Support
- Town Centres -Regeneration-Shared Prosperity Fund
- Employment and Skills 6
- Communities, Social Value and VCFSE Support
- Climate Change/Green Economy
- Development Framework
For more information visit: Report (trafford.gov.uk)