Business reacts to Gloucestershire's new economic strategy
Business reacts to Gloucestershire's new economic strategy
News that Gloucestershire has a new business plan for the next 10 years has been welcomed by the business community, but question marks remain over the detail and the leadership to take it forward.
Dear readers,
We hope you have had a great week. We thank you for waiting patiently for your Friday edition of The Raikes Journal.
Yet again we wrestled with whether or not to paywall this edition, and have done so near the top of a long read built around reaction from the business community to the news that this week the county council agreed the Gloucestershire’s Economic Strategy.
We need to do this to help make what we do sustainable and allow us to continue to bring you the kind of journalism we think you deserve - something original, well researched, and supporting the county.
The subject of today’s big read is the business plan for the county for the next 10 years, covering off everything from housing to transport, areas of growth, how we will achieve a sustainable green economy, which sectors will get us there - and how on earth we will provide the skills and staff to make it all happen.
It is a mammoth and detailed plan. It is also the first to be delivered since GFirst LEP, the independent business group, was absorbed into the council in April. And for many it is the first test of just how decision making and progress on the county’s economic future will fare now it is back in the realm of local politics.
Only considerably more space than we have here would cover off reaction to everything in the plan, but we think the feedback speaks volumes about the challenges ahead, where some think the plan needs refocusing, and we name the one single thing that is key to its success.
But if we can get there - there being 2034 (the plan covers off 2024 to 2034) and the vision holds true, Gloucestershire won’t be in a bad place at all.
* Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne; our sponsors Hartpury University and Hartpury College; our Founding Members and all our wonderful paying subscribers. If you upgrade to paid too, you’ll be able to see beyond the paywalls we place on many of our second and third email editions of the week and that lock our archive after two weeks. You will be able to view our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire series, comment on our stories and you’ll be helping to make possible this community interest company dedicated to supporting the county, its businesses, charities and education and training providers — all for just £2.30 per week!! For commercial opportunities visit our About us page or email andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.
Your Friday roundup
Some of you may have been there last night (Thursday 16 May) at Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester to help Quattro Design Architects celebrate 40 years in business - and to launch a new a new brand - Una Architectural. We thought we'd do our bit to help mark the occasion too with these images and words. The city-based firm, which has its headquarters at Gloucester Quays, says Una will cater for its high-end clients. Projects Quattro has completed in-county in recent times include the refurbishment of Shire Hall, the new Black Dog Way development, Pate’s Grammar School’s Sixth Form Centre and Northgate Mansions. Current jobs afoot include the re-development of Clapham Court in Kingsholm, the design of a brand-new GP surgery in Hucclecote and the expansion of Westonbirt Preparatory School.
Our featured charity
Rarely has a charity-related press release had such widespread coverage across the county as the story of 30 model lions decorated by artists taking to the streets of both Gloucester and Cheltenham next year. This is the Lions at Large – the Pride of Gloucestershire Trail, that will take place during the summer of 2025 to draw families into both town and city to explore. Businesses will soon be encouraged to step forward and sponsor a lion when they are auctioned off. The project has been organised by Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity to raise money for proposed new cancer care facilities in Cheltenham with digital consulting rooms, research space, as well as a therapeutic outside area. Read the full release in our PR Wire channel here.
Business reacts to Gloucestershire's new economic strategy
News that Gloucestershire has a new business plan for the next 10 years has been welcomed by the business community, but big question marks remain over the detail and the leadership to take it forward.
By Andrew Merrell
All eyes were on the county council this week to see if it could deliver a new Gloucestershire Economic Strategy, the first business plan from the local authority since it absorbed the responsibilities of GFirst LEP in April
The independent business group that was the local enterprise partnership is a tough act to follow, after 13 years winning more than £100 million from central government it also somehow managed the magic trick of uniting the county to get things done.
Anxiety around the return of such decision making to the realm of local politics, and whether it can manage to keep that vital partnership working model functioning, is written loud and clearly in the council’s own documents.
Just failing to adopt the strategy on Wednesday would, said the council, have “damaged the reputation of the county and highlighted fundamental differences between Gloucestershire’s local authorities on the strategic direction for long term sustainable economic growth”. No pressure then!
Failing to keep the business community on board and engaged will also mean failure, which is why Raikes asked some of its key contacts for its first reaction to what it’s seen.
The results range from a general welcome to some more precise body blows, with a resounding message that the factor key from now on in will be one thing and one thing only - leadership. But at least everyone is still talking!
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