Recovery bid for economy

North Lanarkshire Council is preparing a plan to help local businesses recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

While giving a report to the council’s Enterprise and Growth committee, head of regeneration Pamela Humphries said: “The main purpose of the report is to advise committee that work is now underway in terms of developing our economic recovery plan, to make sure we are doing everything that we can, both the council and its partners, to make sure that we support the local economy not just to recover from the obvious impact from coronavirus but to continue to grow.”

Ms Humphries said that North Lanarkshire’s economic position prior to the pandemic had been “very strong”and that it was important to build on its strengths.

“Clearly there have been very severe economic impacts already,”she added,“in terms of the impact of lockdown.”

The number of people claiming employmentrelated benefits has continued to climb with 7.2 per cent of the workforce currently claiming, with the picture looking particularly bad for younger people.

The council has distributed more £41 million in Scottish Government business support funding to 3,800 businesses, with 325 self-employed people also receiving support.

In the short to medium term, the Economic Recovery Plan will focus on business support, improving North Lanarkshire’s attractiveness for industry investors, maximizing opportunities for people and businesses through procurement and ensuring people have opportunities to access the skills training they need.

Ms Humphries said:“We are building on our strengths, it is certainly not all doom and gloom, in a lot of ways we are in a strong position.”

NLC deputy leader, Councillor Paul Kelly, pictured, said:“We were a very innovative council prior to Covid-19.

“We had the fastest growing economy, we were very businessfocused and looking at new employment and opportunities.

“We’ve seen independently that we’re one of the best councils coming out of it in terms of opportunities because of the nature and skills of our workforce and things that are coming in the future.”

However, Councillor Kelly went on to express “serious concerns”at figures highlighted in the report, which included a higher than average number of 16-24 year olds claiming benefits, numerous redundancies and almost one third of all workers being on furlough.

The Institute for Public Policy Research has predicted that by the end of 2020 more than 140,000 young people will be unemployed.