Economic Development Strategy for Oxfordshire 2006-2016
"Our vision is of a County with long-term economic growth which can be sustained for future generations."
Our Vision is to realise Oxfordshire’s potential as a pioneering, productive, world-class economic sub-region. Ideally situated in the Heart of England, Oxfordshire can fulfil the potential of its people and its natural environment through developing its capacity for innovation, business and personal development, research and education, and the effective management of its high quality environmental assets.
Foreword
"Oxfordshire has always been a county of great, unrealised potential. Although globally acknowledged as an educational, scientific and technological centre of excellence, Oxfordshire also has a significant rural economy and a number of low skill employment sectors. As a result, the County's overall skills base has much room for improvement, its investment levels are low and its economic growth rate is only average by the standard of other parts of the South East of England and many parts of Europe. Much has to be done if Oxfordshire is to realise its potential. It must be more outward looking, more competitive and develop more of a sense of urgency. The prize is to become one of the top sub-regional economies of Europe. The Oxfordshire Economic Partnership has been created to address the County’s unrealised economic potential. It has set itself ambitious targets to improve the life of everyone who lives in, works in or invests in this unique and stimulating part of the United Kingdom. This Economic Development Strategy represents a powerful plan for Oxfordshire. We are all indebted to the many people who have worked so hard to create and publish it."
John Bridgeman CBE TD DL. Chairman Oxfordshire Economic Partnership 2001-6.
Summary
The Strategy deals with four main issues: the international environment, the business environment, skills development, and infrastructure. Within these issues, it identifies 15 themes:
- Promoting Oxfordshire.
- Developing international links.
- Encouraging enterprise and entrepreneurship.
- Exploiting the commercial potential of the science and technolgy base.
- Removing barriers to growth.
- Business clusters and support networks.
- Maximising opportunities created by technology innovation and utilisation.
- Connecting education and business.
- Widening participation in learning, training and the labour market.
- Investing in workforce development.
- Securing investment in infrastructure.
- Land use.
- Transport.
- Housing.
- Natural and built environment.
This ambitious programme will take substantial investment. Nevertheless, it has the long-term commitment of business and a range of agencies in Oxfordshire, all of which are concerned to foster its success.
The figures and statistical evidence provided throughout this Strategy are the latest available when going to press in May 2006. Figures will be updated regularly in the Evidence Insert.
