Local employment "highly vulnerable"

Mid Sussex is traditionally a low unemployment area but in the current recession nothing is guaranteed, and now it has been reported the area is in the highest category of risk for job losses outside London according to an article in the Local Government Association which describes the area's employment status as "highly vulnerable".

Burgess Hill Councillor Graham Knight last week put forward a motion calling for Mid Sussex District Council to employ a full time economic development officer "at this time of peril for our companies". The Local Government Association research has confirmed the views of local councillors based on the experiences of local people and businesses in Mid Sussex that the current economic problems pose a threat locally.

Liberal Democrat councillors said they were concerned at the lack of progress by the council in providing the funds for an officer to promote the employment and economic advantages of Mid Sussex.

"The lack of such an officer will exacerbate the risk of a worsening economic situation and higher unemployment in our area," said Graham Knight.

Liberal Democrat councillors called for steps to be taken to ensure the council put more resources into economic development, working with local businesses to maximise opportunities for existing businesses in the district and to attract new investment into our area.

East Grinstead Cllr Jean Glynn seconding the motion explained that at present, the council had one officer who gave just 20 per cent of his time to the role.

One example of the lack of resources was that the district council's website was still promoting Burgess Hill as the UK base of "the Swedish telecommunications giant, Ericssons" - even though they moved out in 2003!

"Crawley, Chichester and Tunbridge Wells all have full time development officers and Mid Sussex is left, at a time of peril for our companies, without any back-up for them," Cllr Glynn said. "The problems may well multiply which is why we must push the council to take action - they know it is necessary." Cllr Glynn said that the "boring old cliche" applied that "we can't afford to do it and we can't afford not to do it".

We need a local authority that will help local enterprises, ensuring the facilities and resources they need are available locally, and to promote the area to attract new businesses to Mid Sussex.