Re-Balancing The Rural Economy
Christopher Harvey
Chamber of Commerce
Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Defining Rural AreasSignificantly rural - districts with more than 37,000 people or morethan 26% of their population in rural settlements and larger markettowns (Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Rugby,Shrewsbury and Atcham, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Warwick,
WyreForest)
Rural 80 - districts with at least 80% of their population in ruralsettlements 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 theirpopulation in rural settlements and larger market towns(Herefordshire, Lichfield, Malvern Hills, North Warwickshire,Staffordshire Moorlands)
Businesses tell us
• Literacy and numeracy
• Team working
• Communication
• More understanding of “business”
Specific areas of concern
• Ageing occupational groups
– Farming, Engineering
• Traditional rural skills
• Out flow of young people – in flow of older people
Source – West Midlands Regional Observatory
NVQ LEVEL 4 SKILLS
18
20
22
24
26
28
Mar 1999-Feb 2000
Mar 2000-Feb 2001
Mar 2001-Feb 2002
Mar 2002-Feb 2003
Mar 2003-Feb 2004
Jan 2005-Dec 2005
England West Midlands Rural West Midlands
Research by SQW for AWM
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
Moving Forward
• Population and businesses must understand each other
Working with schools – Young Chamber
• Opportunities in traditional crafts
Diplomas – Skill Builders
Moving Forward
• Demographics – understanding new communities
• Demographics and small business• Migrant workers - new skills
• Businesses and new rural marketplace• Integrating rural business networks
Questions? Discussion!