Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Economic signs pointing in our favour at long last
I have to read dozens of reports every week in my role as council leader.
Some of them bring welcome news, while some deal with really challenging issues.
At this point of the year, many of them are concerned with the budget, and next week we will make decisions aimed at balancing the books for the coming financial year.
Perhaps the most heartening report I’ve read in recent weeks was the annual Business Scotland report.
Firms across North Lanarkshire enjoyed a prosperous 2017.
Overall, there was an increase in the total number of businesses and a 3.5 per cent increase in employment.
There was also a £100 million increase in turnover, meaning businesses in North Lanarkshire turned over more than £15 billion for the first time.
That’s a real sign of the confidence in our local economy and workforce.
And it’s also a sign that the council’s ambitions for North Lanarkshire are bearing fruit for sure.
A large part of that ambition is about nurturing business and investment, and we want to provide the very best conditions to do that.
Our location is ideal, with excellent motorway links. Our investment in road links in North Lanarkshire is unparalleled, with the additional benefit of Glasgow City Region City Deal funds providing a boost to our infrastructure.
We are also looking at ways in which new technology can benefit all our communities and businesses.
Very soon we will be consulting on proposals which will ensure Monklands is at the economic heart of the central belt.
And we will also start to consult on the possible demolition of tower blocks soon, which will allow us to ensure that homes for our tenants are fit for the 21st century.
That programme alone, which is massive in its scope, will create thousands of jobs and help to regenerate our town centres, allowing more businesses to invest in North Lanarkshire.
The timing of the Business Scotland Report coincides neatly with Lanarkshire Business Week, which takes place at the end of this month.
There are events throughout the week but I am really looking forward to the business show, where firms of all sizes come together to demonstrate the ways they innovate and the contribution they make to our economy.
The week ends with the Lanarkshire business awards, which are supported by the Advertiser, with a celebration of all the very best businesses in Lanarkshire.
The council is right behind all the businesses in our area as we look to grow the economy, grow employment opportunities and build a better North Lanarkshire.
● Find out about Lanarkshire Business Week, including signing up for free tickets at www. chooselanarkshire.com/lbw
Start to consult on possible demolition of tower blocks to ensure homes for our tenants are fit for 21st century . . .