Council boss: Renfrewshire will be strong once again

Recovery plan revealed

Ambitious plans to rescue Renfrewshire’s economy have been developed by council officials.

The proposals include a £100 million investment in housing stock, upskilling the workforce, supporting business and championing the manu f a c t u r i n g industries.

Set to be approved at the full council meeting on Thursday, the Economic Recovery Plan also includes a series of proposals to tackle inequality across the region and improve the life chances of young people.

It has been created in partnership wi t h Renfrewshire’s Economic Leadership Panel, which brings together major employers and enterprise agencies.

Council Leader Iain Nicolson said that the proposals will allow Renfrewshire to “renew” and “come back stronger”.

He said: “Detailing 14 priority actions the panel believe will make the biggest difference locally, the report focuses on support for business, young people, wellbeing, skills and employability, fostering a green recovery and on capital investment.

“The building blocks of Renfrewshire’s economy have been consistently strong for some time and there are significant opportunities for growth after the pandemic with a strong business base, excellent educational facilities and £500million in capital investment well under way.

“We will build on this by creating jobs and training opportunities for our young people, including 150 new apprenticeships, with targeted projects to tackle unemployment and reduce health inequalities, and measures to bolster the skills and innovation of our significant manufacturing sector.

“To achieve this plan, all partner agencies will have a key role to play and by combining our knowledge and expertise, we can achieve so much more.”

The plan has been creating against a backdrop of catastrophic job losses in Renfrewshire.

The number of people claiming benefits rose by 80 per cent at the height of the pandemic, while around 7,000 people remain on furlough.

6,000 applications have been made to the local authority’s crisis grant fund.

Renfrewshire Foodbank has meanwhile helped more than 4,000 adults and children.

But the community response to the crisis has given council leader Nicolson faith that the region can and will bounce back.

He said: “Covid- 19 has had a huge impact on our health, our well- being, our communities and our economy, but I am confident that by working together, Renfrewshire will recover and renew to come back stronger.

“Since the outset, council staff have been working tirelessly together with community groups and local volunteers as well as with national agencies to support people during these unprecedented times, and the collective response has been phenomenal.

“This work continues and while the true impact of the pandemic will take time to fully emerge, we have been carrying out detailed research and together with community groups, local businesses and economic leaders, we have been preparing our plans for recovery and renewal.”

The £ 100m investment in housing will see existing council homes brought up to standard alongside plans for new-build homes over the next 10 years.

The first phase will target investment to eight areas across Johnstone, Paisley and Renfrew.

The two-year economic recovery plan has been underpinned by economic analysis by the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute and by a summer survey of 500 local companies.

Further data will be collected next spring following the end of the furlough scheme and the Brexit transition period.