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!