Economic development elevated
Thursday 02 February 2012
Council is to give economic development high priority and greater focus under a new strategy flagged today.
“I’m very excited about this Council initiative. We are talking about job creation, especially ‘smart’ local jobs, wealth attraction and local economic opportunities,” said Councillor Penny Gaylor, chair of Council’s Environment and Community Development Committee.
The ECD Committee today unanimously agreed to the new strategy. It involves three strategic focus areas: innovation and positioning around clean technology and IT; the creation and capture of added value; and growing the base.
Key priorities for 2012/13 are: growing the Clean Technology Park at Ōtaki and IT business; developing Council’s capacity to be responsive to business; preparing a Māori economic wellbeing plan in conjunction with tāngata whenua; establishing tourism and business support, attraction and retention services; and identifying opportunities for increased value in the food and beverage, health/retirement and constructions sectors.
An Economic Development Review Working Party comprising five councillors, the Mayor and two members of Te Whakaminenga o Kāpiti have been working on the draft policy for many months.
“I am happy to say that the outcome of our discussions is very much in line with the vision statement worked up by local business. It is also in line and complements work being undertaken elsewhere in the region by Grow Wellington and other agencies.”
In parallel to this new strategy, Council will withdraw from its current links with Nature Coast Enterprises, take on some functions itself, and contract others out.
“This is about prioritising and looking at where best to put our effort; how we can leverage off existing partnerships or establish new ones. We have limited resources so we need to set priorities and establish benchmarks so we can mark progress.”
Councillors were told some of the functions undertaken by Nature Coast could be handled by existing Council staff. Two new full time equivalents would be required, but funded through existing budgets. One would focus on the Clean Technology and innovation sectors; the other on the food, beverage, health and retirement and construction sectors. Council would also be looking at its internal processes to ensure they are ‘open for business’ and easy for business to use.
Public feedback on the initiatives and strategies, and cost implications outlined in the two papers considered today, will be sought as part of the forthcoming Long Term Plan consultation round.