New report outlines challenges and opportunities in Telford & Wrekin
A report by Telford & Wrekin Council published today outlines the challenges and opportunities in the borough.
The report has been compiled by Telford & Wrekin Council is an open and honest appraisal of the state of the borough.
It will be considered by the Council’s Co-operative Commission Assembly on 15 February at Meeting Point House as the council’s partners and independent commissioners meet to look at the main issues facing the borough.
The State of the Borough report says the borough’s population is predicted to grow dramatically in the next 13 years by around 15%, with its population becoming older and more diverse – more than one in ten people in the borough are now from a black or minority ethnic population.
It outlines the key challenges and opportunities the borough faces including tackling youth unemployment for 16-24 year olds which is higher than the national average (26.2% v 21%).
The report also looks at education, improving health in the borough, narrowing the gap between the borough’s different communities in terms of employment, health and skills and promoting opportunities the borough has to attract new businesses.
Council leader Kuldip Sahota said:”Openness and honesty are at the heart our co-operative values. That’s why it is so important that this report is a warts-and-all reflection of the key issues, bad and good, that the borough faces.
“On one hand, we face some very serious issues including the level of youth unemployment and health issues and the gap between opportunity, achievement and health between the most deprived and affluent areas of the borough.
“On the other hand we have some real positives – unemployment overall is falling, our plans are in place to stimulate economic growth in the borough, the Southwater development can really push us forward as a location for leisure and conference visitors. At the same time our educational achievement is improving.
“The Council’s priorities reflect these issues and we will be asking our partners and independent co-operative commissioners to join us in looking for solutions we can together create to address these issues for the greater good of all residents, investors, visitors to the area, as well as our future generations.”
