The future is in our hands

FOLLOWING last week's Griggs's Town column regarding the growth in East Cambridgeshire, I felt I would take the opportunity to explain what the district council is doing to tackle this issue.

Mr Griggs is right to highlight the significant housing growth which the district has experienced over the last few years and the need to develop the infrastructure and jobs in order to sustain this increase.

After consulting with local businesses about their needs and requirements earlier this year, we developed the East Cambridgeshire Economic Development Strategy. This plan, to cover the next five years, is looking to create a balance to meet the demands of the district through six priorities.

These cover areas such as promoting the area to new business, helping companies access help and improving skills of the local workforce.

The key is to make sure we don't just talk about helping but actually make a meaningful difference to help increase jobs. We are working with partners to help businesses access grants and funding, encouraging firms to offer structured training and we have Espace North and South as successful enterprise centres for new start-ups.

By working in partnership with both the public and private sector we can achieve an economy, which is prosperous, diverse and dynamic, which can create a balance between housing and employment growth. The future is in our hands.

Finally, onto the matter of the ECDC magazine, which is currently published with no cost to the Council Tax payer by a company in Dry Drayton. I am happy to meet the challenge set by the Griggs column to source the publication more locally within the standards we have already set in previous issues. Any interested local companies willing to work with us should contact our press office.

JOHN HILL

Chief Executive

East Cambridgeshire District Council