Having a clear vision of what the area will look like in the future is vital if we are to have direction in our activities. The vision for North Lincolnshire is set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy.
For the economy, our vision is for "An Area That Is Thriving". This means:
- creating a strong identity for the area;
- developing a dynamic economy;
- enhancing skills and employability; and
- area renaissance.
Local Area Agreement:
There are some specific targets that we are trying to achieve which will help us deliver the vision for the area. These are contained in the Local Area Agreement. These are:
- To reduce the unemployment rate
- To reduce the number of people claiming out of work benefits in the areas with the highest claimant rates
- To increase the number of people qualified to at least NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- To increase the average weekly earnings of workers in North Lincolnshire
- To increase the number of small businesses (those who employ less than 50 people) who are taking on more staff
- To increase the output levels per person in the area
There are many ways in which we are trying to achieve this vision. We have a number of strategies that set out how we will achieve different parts of the vision. These include the Scunthorpe Framework and the Economic Development Strategy.
Growth sectors:
The Economic Development Strategy has identified the key growth sectors for the North Lincolnshire economy in the next few years. These are:
- Transport, storage and communications
- Environmental technologies (bio-refineries, bio-fuel production, renewable energy generator manufacture and installation, renewable energy generation, carbon capture technology, recycling, energy from waste)
- Chemicals and petro-chemicals
- Food and drink manufacture and packaging
- Construction and the built environment
- Business services (finance, legal, insurance, business support, back office functions)
- Retail and leisure
- Mechanical engineering and advanced materials
Economic development board:
The council and its partners want to grow the number of businesses in each of these sectors, through attracting inward investment and through encouraging local people to start their own businesses. We also want to help established businesses to grow and flourish, through expanding their operations and finding new markets for their goods and services.
In 2008 the North Lincolnshire Economic Development Board was established. The board brings together representatives of the public, private, education and voluntary sectors to set the priorities for the future of the North Lincolnshire economy. The board has responsibility for delivering the economic elements of the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement.