Welcome from Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place, Cllr Kam Kaur

Hello and welcome to the August edition of Warwickshire Means Business.

With the summer at its height, I hope you will all be getting in some lovely holidays and down time. After all that has been thrown at us in the last 18 months I think we all deserve that!

Then it will be a case of looking ahead and plotting the way forward as we build the recovery post-Covid. That will take some time, of course, and we must all remain vigilant but it is very reassuring that, in terms of the Warwickshire economy, we already have so much that is positive on which to build and capitalise.

This year has already brought a number of very welcome developments for our region. Many of these are in the innovation and technology sector and, in this edition of Warwickshire Means Business, Ian Flynn gives a comprehensive round up of those developments. They underline the high regard in which our county is held and that businesses want to locate and remain here. Most importantly, these businesses bring jobs to Warwickshire and help keep our economy and communities strong.

Further very good news comes from DfE figures that show Warwickshire remains one of the most successful local authorities in the country for ensuring that 16 and 17-year-old residents are either in education, employment or training. This success reflects the commitment of us all - local authorities and our partners in the business world, employers and education-providers - to give our young people the very best opportunities.

 As we all continue to build the recovery, Warwickshire County Council's Economy & Skills team will be with you every step of the way as always, working with our partner organisations across the region to offer all kinds of support. I am very proud of that team, their expertise and the tireless work they do, and it is heartwarming to read in this edition of WMB Alison Robinson's tribute to them and their work since she joined us last year.

The Economy & Skills team is a really impressive, creative, hard-working unit that makes a tangible difference to our communities...and they are recruiting at the moment! So please have a read and get in touch if you think you might like to help them make that difference.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Warwickshire Means Business and have a lovely summer.

Kam