Role
The South West Regional Economic Task Group has been created to help Government
and the region understand the impact of the economic downturn, and to ensure that
the South West responds effectively.
The Group's focus is to:
- Assess the regional impact of current economic uncertainties
- Provide a channel through which the Regional Minister can discuss economic challenges with the business community, local authorities, and regionally-based Government agencies
- Provide a structure through which the Regional Minister can lead a prompt response to problems affecting particular sectors or sub-regions / localities; including making recommendations to the Regional and National Economic Councils
- Ensure key regional public sector bodies are well coordinated, prepared to respond to local economic shocks and have resilient arrangements for public services
- Provide the Regional and National Economic Councils with insight into the views of the South West regional stakeholders
- Co-ordinate communication of key messages on the economy to regional audiences, including from the National and Regional Economic Councils
The Group discusses the most pressing strategic issues including:
- skills and employment
- support for business
- infrastructure bottlenecks and construction
- resilience of public services
Specific Action Groups have been set up take forward key actions in these areas.
Action announced by the South West RDA on 12 November 2008 on an enhanced support programme for businesses will also form a major input to the Task Group's work.
Secretariat support to the Task Group is being jointly provided by the Government Office for the South West and the South West RDA.