From the Mayor

Economic development is a phrase bandied about by all and sundry today.  There are cries for councils to get involved to enable their districts to grow.  Everyone wants a slice of the economic development pie but what actually makes up that pie and what is council’s role in making it?

Sir Paul Callaghan described economic development as a strategy that encourages economic growth.  He went to say that the drivers behind economic growth are largely controlled by international and national factors, not local conditions.  Investment in new and expansion of existing businesses largely happens when global forces create the right environment for growth.
So what is council’s role in ensuring the economic health of its district?  SWDC believes that the first step is making it easy for people to do business with the council.  We’ve launched the ‘One Stop Shop’ concept to simplify the process of planning and building requirements for major projects. 

It’s aimed at making the myriad of regulatory requirements that may face a development, easier to negotiate.  It isn’t a magic bullet but rather a first step in a process.
One thing is certain.  If we knew the answer to attracting more businesses to our district, we would be doing it, believe me.