Re-Balancing The Rural Economy

1. Re-Balancing The Rural Economy Christopher Harvey Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire

2. Defining Rural Areas Significantly rural - districts with more than 37,000 people or more than 26% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns (Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Rugby, Shrewsbury and Atcham, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Warwick, Wyre Forest) Rural 80 - districts with at least 80% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns (Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, South Shropshire, Stratford-on-Avon, Wychavon) Rural 50 - districts with at least 50% but less than 80% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns (Herefordshire, Lichfield, Malvern Hills, North Warwickshire, Staffordshire Moorlands)

4. Businesses tell us • Literacy and numeracy • Team working • Communication • More understanding of “business”

5. Specific areas of concern • Ageing occupational groups – Farming, Engineering • Traditional rural skills • Out flow of young people – in flow of older people

10. Source – West Midlands Regional Observatory

11. NVQ LEVEL 4 SKILLS Research by SQW for AWM

12. The E3I Belt Source – The Functional Economic Geography of the West Midlands By Prof J R Bryson and Prof M J Taylor University of Birmingham

13. Moving Forward • Population and businesses must understand each other Working with schools – Young Chamber • Opportunities in traditional crafts Diplomas – Skill Builders

14. Moving Forward • Demographics – understanding new communities • Demographics and small business • Migrant workers - new skills • Businesses and new rural marketplace • Integrating rural business networks

15. Questions? Discussion!