Economic Partnership
The partnership identifies the city's main socio-economic challenges and monitors efforts by partners to address Wolverhampton's long-term economic regeneration needs.
It also takes the lead in overseeing progress to meet the wealth-creating priorities of Wolverhampton's Community Plan.
Main areas of focus include:
- Investment leading to job creation and retention giving local people access to a wide range of well-paid employment opportunities
- Making sure increased economic activity leads to improved employment rates and incomes for residents in deprived areas. The partnership also tackles barriers to employment
- Encouraging local businesses to invest in improving their competitive advantage, introducing new products and processes and fostering links between industry and education
- Promoting business formation and inward investment, especially in national growth sectors where the city is currently-under-represented
- Investment in workforce skills development, meeting the needs of industry now and in the future
- Encouraging investment to provide a balanced portfolio of employment sites, a modern, less congested transport infrastructure and thriving city and local district centres
- Promoting an improved image of Wolverhampton, a centre seen as a city of choice to work, to live and to spend leisure time
Key initiatives include:
- A broad-based city centre strategy featuring a £210 million retail core expansion which could create 2,000 new jobs
- Introducing large mixed use regeneration projects such as the city's Canalside Quarter and Bilston Urban Village, revitalising housing markets and creating jobs
- The development of employment sites such as i54 Wobaston Road, capable of accommodating over 6,000 new jobs
The development of Wolverhampton Technology Corridor including the expansion of Wolverhampton Science Park; addressing the needs of established and growing business clusters such as advanced engineering, polymers and plastics, aerospace and creative industries- Providing 21st century education and learning facilities such as the University's new IT Futures Centre; addressing industry skills gaps; and encouraging measures to retain graduate/post-graduate skills in the city
- Working with local companies and landowners to improve the environment and economic viability of traditional industrial areas
- Help local people into existing jobs. An example is the City College Employability Team, which has been involved with the recruitment for New Look, Primark, and the Bluebrick Hotel and Restaurant
- Strategic investment in transport and gateways to the city
- Strategic transport & gateway investment, e.g. transport interchange - providing a transport hub linking rail, road, bus and metro
The Economic Partnership includes:
Advantage West Midlands
Black Country Chamber of Commerce
Black Country Investment
Black Country Learning & Skills Council
BRM Packaging Ltd
City of Wolverhampton College
College of Executive Coaching
DA Stuart Oils Ltd
Job Centre Plus
JW Green Swimming Pools Ltd
Messrs Towler Shaw Roberts
Midland Board & Glass Ltd
Paragon Engineering
South Staffordshire District Council
Synthetic Dimensions
The Wolverhampton Glass Co Ltd
Timken Aerospace Ltd
University of Wolverhampton
Wednesfield Textiles
Wolverhampton City Centre Company
Wolverhampton City Council
Wolverhampton Partnership
