Wrexham’s Economic Future

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  • #67976

    wrexview
    Participant

    Blueprint aims to make Wrexham economic powerhouse of North Wales – Daily Post

    Just a few weeks ago this was in the same paper suggesting things were looking up in Wrexham!

    #67977

    Adam
    Participant

    @wxm 15264 wrote:

    Wrexham among worst places for recovery since recession – Daily Post

    This confirms what many of us have already concluded but it’s still pretty shocking to see it in black and white. 357th out of 379 local authorities for post-recession recovery. There is nothing left to hide behind anymore.

    Until we start having frank, honest debates in the same tone as those shoppers, families, small businesses, national chains who are conciously avoiding Wrexham then the situation can not improve. In response to the report, Neil Rogers’ rather desperate defence of his record as ‘lead member for economic development and regeneration’ will only reduce confidance even further that any postive change is around the corner.

    I’m rather surprised this story was not reported in full on Wrexham.com. I hope we’re not avoiding bad news stories.

    #67987

    MP1953
    Participant

    @Adam 15297 wrote:

    This confirms what many of us have already concluded but it’s still pretty shocking to see it in black and white. 357th out of 379 local authorities for post-recession recovery. There is nothing left to hide behind anymore.

    Until we start having frank, honest debates in the same tone as those shoppers, families, small businesses, national chains who are conciously avoiding Wrexham then the situation can not improve. In response to the report, Neil Rogers’ rather desperate defence of his record as ‘lead member for economic development and regeneration’ will only reduce confidance even further that any postive change is around the corner.

    I’m rather surprised this story was not reported in full on Wrexham.com. I hope we’re not avoiding bad news stories.

    Correct Adam it is exactly how most people in Wrexham see it, have said before the £ shops are in Wrexham for a reason they have done their homework :(

    #67995

    99DylanJones
    Participant

    The data that retailers have to determine future investment in stores is now so extensive the supermarkets now predict apro 75% of the buying of everyone before they even step foot in store — recent TV series insight was fascinating.
    The Aldi proposed for Rhostyllen will not have been a random site selection and will undoubtedly have similar proposals put forward for the a site just off Mold Road, Ruthin Road and Ruabon A483 junctions — close to houses but also on a major road junction to boost trade from passing customers.
    Retaining the spending in Wrexham is vital but don’t assume this has to be town centre!
    We have heard there is due to be massive inward investment– short term building contractors moving into the area to build the prison without them every other self employed plumber, builder, electrician etc would have to work on the site — were would that leave the householders who need work doing. With a choice of Wrexham or Deeside -businesses are likely to choose Deeside as they have more tax breaks and incentives as it is a Business Enterprise Zone. What i Clr Rogers offering a business that is equivalent to these incentives.. (as an added issue why set u business on the Industrial Esate when you can’t even access high speed broadband!!)

    #67981

    Alunh
    Participant

    We have to be careful here because the main reasons why the different areas are doing well or badly lie outside the influence of local authorities, good or bad.

    That said, the Council in Wrexham and its Economic Development Department, which is one of the most significant departments within it, bear responsibility for those areas within its remit. I would be curious as to any recent evaluations of the effectiveness of this Department when measured on a range of criteria and I would like to see comparisons on a like for like basis with other areas of the UK. The slippage of Wrexham in the last 20 years does bear close inspection and it would be useful to have an objective assessment of the reasons.

    I have little here to work with but, having been close up and personal in the Market, I can only conclude that there should be a rapid focus on where the public’s tax contributions have actually gone to on this front. For the several years that I was there, I have never witnessed such poor Admin

    #67975

    Rob
    Participant

    @Adam 15297 wrote:

    I’m rather surprised this story was not reported in full on Wrexham.com. I hope we’re not avoiding bad news stories.

    Just a note on this – bad or good stories are not avoided :)

    I would guess this is a national stats thing brought local by regional Trinity Mirror publications eg. How is Wales recovering from the recession? Surprise figures suggest Rhondda Cynon Taf is leading the way – Wales Online has the whole of Wales stats.

    From that article “The analysis – by the Trinity Mirror Data Unit – combined a range of different measures from official sources including the change in the number of jobs available in each area, house price changes, average wages and population growth.

    After a quick google the exact same rankings also appeared in the Leader a few days later, so no doubt they have their own ‘data unit’ conducting the same analysis just a little slower :D

    #67996

    99DylanJones
    Participant

    You must appreciate that when it comes to payment of rates and what we get locally many of the decision makers will either not be paying or will get a reduction due to age etc. Also why does no one actually ask if they are prepared to pay more (even though with service reduction most people will no doubt say no.)

    #67984

    BenjaminM
    Participant

    Where do you dream up these fanciful notions that you put up as fact, Dylan?
    Since when has age played a factor or your assertion that some of the rate setters don’t pay anything at all?
    Can you indeed substantiate those comments?

    #67978

    Adam
    Participant

    @Alunh 15300 wrote:

    We have to be careful here because the main reasons why the different areas are doing well or badly lie outside the influence of local authorities, good or bad.

    I’d have to disagree with you there. Even the councils own mission statement for the local economy is:

    • People want to live, work, learn, visit and invest here
    • Businesses can locate and grow here
    • People can prosper as individuals within their communities

    Two key features are currently absent: Honesty and Ambition. As a resident I would dearly love to hear a statement broadly along the lines of:

    “Wrexham has failed to keep pace with surrounding towns in terms of it’s offer to consumers and in turn business investment. We recognise this and here is our 1, 2, 5 year plan to begin to re-balance the town centre economy working with landlords and existing businesses. Comments welcome.”

    Instead we see excessive back-slapping celebrating new paving slabs and international coach stops. Worse still is to engage specialist consultants only to dismiss sensible feedback as too ambitious and ‘not right for Wrexham’. All of which give me zero confidence that positive change is around the corner and leads me to seriously reflect whether I’ll still be here in 5 years time..

    Who knows though, perhaps with the imminent changes at the top this week, some hope remains..

    #67982

    Alunh
    Participant

    Hi Adam

    You’ve misinterpreted what I said here.

    The main reasons why Companies come and go on, say, the Industrial Estate are outside the ins and outs of Wrexham Council. JCB have recently expanded and contracted their staff levels for macro-economic reasons and that pattern can be seen elsewhere. In town, HMV did not come to Wrexham because of Wrexham Council, nor did they leave for this reason. TJ Hughes had national not local issues to contend with (though they may have had local issues as well). The main drivers of employment are not the Council but factors beyond the Council.

    That said, I agree with the thrust of what you were saying

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