North Wales is a diverse region; it’s a microcosm of Britain. The economy is made up of industry and manufacturing in the north-wast, science, business and technology parks along the A55 corridor, power production in the north-west and tourism along the coasts and in the sprawling Clwydian Range, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
So what works in north Wales is likely to work across the UK.
Most believe that the UK economy will continue to flatline following the coalition’s decision to cut too far and too fast, delivering Wales its worst settlement from the UK government since the inception of devolution – the north Wales economy won’t be exempt from this pressure.
Over the last year the employment rate in north Wales has increased and economic inactivity rates fell. This hasn’t happened by chance, but by choice.
The Welsh Labour government’s ambitious Jobs Growth Wales programme has, so far, filled 361 vacancies across north Wales, significantly outperforming the UK government inadequate work programme.
So there is some good news in terms of jobs, but we must be impatient about achieving better results. This means making sure that the coalition is working, hand-in-glove, with the Welsh government to tackle the scourge that is unemployment.
‘Jobs, jobs, jobs’ must remain the number one priority and that means focusing on transport, tourism and town centres.
Going forward, a focus on transport infrastructure projects such as road improvements and rail electrification can help achieve growth in the region. Allocating resources to labour-intensive projects which, in the end, serve to improve efficiency and travel times is investing in our future competitiveness.
North Wales needs to be properly connected to the UK electric infrastructure. Effective cross-border links will allow for improved rail services, potentially unlocking economic growth in north Wales, developing a sound business environment for job creation. With the south Wales valleys set to benefit from rail electrification and the London-to-Swansea line also being electrified, it seems only fair that north Wales share in this rail revolution. It’s why the commitment from the Welsh Labour government to work in collaboration with partners to develop a business case is so vitally important.
Tourism has traditionally been central to the coastal economy. After some years of decline, huge effort is being made to regenerate areas such as Rhyl, in my constituency, and in cementing the future of towns such as Llandudno as a well-established conference venue. Tourism is about reputation building and success is being achieved in marketing north Wales to the ‘staycation’ market and also to potential visitors around the world.
Efforts, however, must be doubled. While opposition parties mock advertising campaigns and trade visits around the world as gimmicks, others recognise them as genuine attempts to attract investment, visitors and to improve Wales’ brand around the world.
Central to local economies are town centres. To keep north Wales’ town centres alive and sustainable for the future, more must be done to get local people using local shops for the benefit of the local community. Improving the range of outlets and vibrancy of town centres is a must if footfall is to be increased which is why schemes such as the business rates review, discounted parking and events are vital.
Many of the policies which will allow growth to be achieved cannot happen in isolation. Instead, they are interdependent. Transport brings tourists, with tourism comes footfall, with footfall come customers to our town centres.
Labour are in power in Wales, implementing its economic plan for jobs and growth, supporting small business through the second phase of the economic growth fund committing over £30m to business support and standing up for hard-working families’ right across the country.
With Westminster calling the big economic shots, the Welsh Labour government is using all of the levers it can to mitigate the effect of the coalition’s failing economic policies, punitive welfare reform and callous cuts on the people of Wales.
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Ann Jones is assembly member for Vale of Clwyd. She tweets @Ann_JonesAM
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