New Fylde Coast partnership to re-energise local economy
Wednesday 14 October 2009
The Fylde Coast area is being given new freedoms and powers to work together to improve tourism, transport, employment and skills in their area, announced Communities Secretary John Denham.
The issues that affect people's lives like jobs and housing do not stop neatly at council boundaries. Councils increasingly need to join forces across their borders to develop local solutions for getting more people back into work, raising skills levels, or improving transport links.
The Government is helping local authorities to work together to do this through Multi-Area Agreements (MAAs), which are giving them new powers to devise their own plans and spend money as they see fit to tackle the most pressing issues in their areas and drive economic recovery.
John Denham travelled to Blackpool Tower today to sign the historic Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement (MAA) - made up of Blackpool Council, Fylde Borough Council, Wyre Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.
The single contract will help thousands of people back into work; reverse the decline of the UK's most popular tourist destination with front line visitor customer services training for 5,000 people; kickstart new green industry and stalled housing developments with 1000 new homes a year; improve the skills of over 7,000 people reducing long term unemployment; and raise quality of life in the area.
John Denham said
"People live, work and study across different council boundaries and it is right that local authorities do the same. By working together on the pressing issues their areas face, councils can improve the way they deliver services and offer better value for money for the taxpayer.
"Today's agreement gives Blackpool and the Fylde new powers to help its councils work together to direct their spending and support where it is most needed and mastermind regional solutions.
"The priorities of local people are at the heart of MAAs and the actions these councils are committing to today will help thousands of people back into work, and improve skills, public transport and boost the tourism economy.
"Their plan includes steps to harness natural resources - the beaches, waves and wind - to become a central source of renewable energy and to establish a revived tourist industry that will once again make Blackpool an energetic place to be.
"By joining forces through MAAs, councils will also avoid unnecessary duplication helping to ensure that taxpayers' money is being worked as hard as possible in the current economic climate."
The agreement aims to:
- establish a uniquely 'Fylde Coast' cultural identity for the area including by promoting the Olympiad, Fleetwood Waterfront, Blackpool's promenade and Royal Lytham and St Anne's Golf Club
- ensure a better match of skills by training over 7,000 people to meet the needs of local employers, particularly in areas like customer service and the aerospace sector; and reduce the number of people receiving out of work benefits
- tackle the large number of houses in multiple occupation and increase the overall quality of privately rented accommodation, and increasing overall housing by a thousand homes a year
- reduce carbon emissions by increasing the number of people who use public transport to get to and from work.
Regional Minister for the North West, Phil Woolas added:
"The Fylde Coast is emerging as a dynamic region, and with its tourism industry and plans to be at the forefront of renewable energy, it plays a crucial role in the economy of the North West.
"Today's signing confirms the determination of all the partners to work with each other and with the Government and its agencies in the Region, to build on their successes and deliver its vision to benefit local people, the region and UK plc."
Today's signing takes the number of council agreements to fourteen - covering more than a hundred councils. Over the last decade, the Government has increasingly strengthened the powers councils have as part of a progressive devolution from Whitehall to the town hall. For example, councils now have three-year funding settlements, greater flexibility on how they spend money and fewer targets
