ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic Development and Regeneration
Latest news: New Support Programme For Fledgling Companies & Exploring Enterprise2 Programme
The Council's Economic Development Unit is part of the Development Department, with the following mission statement:
"To ensure that the local economy is developed in an innovative, practical and sustainable manner, creating greater prosperity for the Borough as a result".
The Unit provides direct and practical advice to existing and prospective businesses, investors, social enterprises and entrepreneurs across the Borough.
Combined with a series of initiatives delivered in partnership with local, regional and national enterprise agencies, the Council is consolidating and improving the diverse, yet fragile, local economy. Business initiatives that mentor small and medium sized enterprises, planning and development control for expanding commercial organisations and promotion of key sectors of the economy such as value food manufacturing and processing, indigenous retailing, commercial services, horticulture and the creative industry represent a large proportion of the section's activities.
The Department along with its enterprise partners, South Eastern Regional College and Ards Business Centre Ltd, offer a series of business development projects and fast response business advice.
The Economic Development Unit works on a regular basis with its partners and all government agencies to organise timely information seminars, redundancy clinics, programme launches in order to ensure that the business community remains au fait with the latest economic opportunities.
The section is also responsible for a programme of business visits and deals therefore on a personal or one-to-one basis with business owners. This personal approach allows the section to identify and discuss a wide range of issues which affect the companies and to seek appropriate and efficient solutions.
There are 2,685 VAT-registered businesses in Ards. Employment and revenue for the Ards Borough and the development of our indigenous businesses remain two critical elements of our needs based, innovative work.
Another key role of the Economic Development unit is the development of international links on behalf of the Borough's companies. Through the work of the section, the Borough now enjoys a fruitful relationship with its Sister City, Peoria, in Arizona. Numerous exchanges involving companies, students, or crafters have produced encouraging results and allows local businesses to benefit from the experience of their counterparts in America.
The European Union NEA programme, which aims to promote sustainable coastal activities and the development of nautical activities in the Atlantic area has also been led by the Economic Development section and has allowed the concretisation of links with France and Spain and has permitted the development of an exchange programme for young people and the organisation of an international conference to be held in Portaferry in June 2011, bringing therefore a substantial number of visitors and significant income to this part of the Borough.
The section has also worked continuously to attract external funding and has levered European Funding in order to build business capacity at local level through programmes such as the Craft Development Programme (£91.500) or the Food and Fisheries Programme, to enhance local infrastructure such as the Limekiln and the Limestone Building in Castle Espie (£105,000 European Regional Development Fund) and to create web-based platforms with the CIIF Programme.
Critical for our local economy will be developing new sustainable high technology jobs, enhancing our growth and service sectors, as well as modernising the infrastructure around the new roads system. The Section is working continuously towards creating a vision for the Borough in order to future proof its development and make it a place to work, invest, live and enjoy.
For further information contact Development Office, Tel : 028 91 824025.
Related Links :
South Eastern Regional College
