Cardiff Council has welcomed the launch of a new Welsh Assembly strategy which aims to make Wales “one of the best places in the world to live, to work and to thrive”.
Launched by Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, the ‘Economic Renewal: A New Direction’ document says it aims to provide every business in Wales with access to next-generation broadband by 2016 and all households in Wales being broadband enabled by 2020.
The document also signals a move away from traditional business grants, aiming to encourage a stronger culture of investment,
Councillor Neil McEvoy, Cardiff Council’s Deputy Leader said: “This new vision for the future of the Welsh economy has much to commend it.
“The economic landscape has changed. I believe that the Deputy First Minister is right to use this as an opportunity to reflect upon how we do business in Wales, and on what role the government can play in helping us do it better.
“Our future economic prosperity will depend on creating the right environment for business. For Wales to thrive in the 21st Century it will need to build its economy on solid foundations. I therefore particularly welcome the decision to invest in high quality and sustainable infrastructure platform.
“This should mean investment in next generation broadband for creating the environment for research and development to take place, for the creative and scientific industries to grow and for innovation to happen.
“It should mean investment in sustainable transportation: high speed rail links to London and beyond, developing the regional rail system and building on Cardiff’s Sustainable Travel City initiative.”
Councillor McEvoy added: “The move away from grants is also to be welcomed. As Cardiff recognised in 2008 we need to move away from a dependency culture to one of entrepreneurship and enterprise. That’s Cardiff Council established the Capital Cardiff Fund which has been investing in local businesses in the form of loans and equity for over a year. I’m confident that this shift to long term strategic and structural investments will pay long term dividends.”
Councillor McEvoy is now calling for a meeting with the Deputy First Minister to ensure that the Welsh Assembly Government and Cardiff Council are maximising the potential of the nation’s capital in creating the right environment for doing business in Wales and in delivering economic prosperity.
He said: “There is still a pressing need to internationalise the Welsh economy. Getting the business environment right in Wales will be crucial, but this should be seen as supporting the attraction of international investment and encouraging international trade. In particular, I believe, more needs to be made of Cardiff as a driver for international investment and as one of the key factors in any new ‘Wales brand. The Deputy First Minister is right when he says that Cardiff represents ‘a key opportunity’ in delivering economic prosperity for Wales.”
