Economic Development 2019
When you think back to 2018/19, can you remember any work-related stand out moments? Often we overlook the everyday achievements, and it’s only when we look back we realise how significant they were.
Last week, councillors were presented with a report on economic development during 2018/19. This is an in-depth look at the achievements of us and our partners, showcasing how we’re working together to promote and enhance economic development.
With everyone so busy doing the day job, it can be easy to miss the milestones. Below is an overview of our key achievements, but if you want to read more, you can read the full economic development report (PDF).
Growth Deal:
- 65m Growth Deal funding pledged by Scottish and UK governments
Defence:
- £400m investment in RAF Lossiemouth and progression of the P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft programme as well as an additional Typhoon squadron
Housing & Planning - Timescale for processing planning applications reduced to 6.6 wks for local applications, householder applications at 5.3 wks and major developments at 16.5 wks
- 90 homes built under our affordable housing programme
- £10m invested in affordable housing
- Commercial premises development and business support
- Commercial premises’ occupancy rate remains near capacity, with 28 businesses securing new property
- 2018 town centre health checks saw vacancy levels in Elgin, Forres, Lossiemouth and Dufftown reduce
- 1.29 hectares of land for commercial premises developed in the year up to 1 Jan 2019 and, at 1 Jan 2019, 2.55 hectares under construction
- Buckie harbour seen growth in cargo, fishing and offshore-related businesses
- 132 new enterprises started with direct interventions from Business Gateway Moray
- 21 Digital Boost workshops delivered, with 219 businesses benefiting
Environment and active travel:
- Direct forestry-related employment of Moray residents estimated at 630 FTE
- Section of Speyside Way undergoing upgrade between Craigellachie and Carron
- Work under way to create low carbon travel hub
- Over 3m tonnes of timber forecasted to be taken from forests on Moray’s roads in next 15 years
- We continue to be one of the top performers for recycling, with a recycling rate of 57.4%
- £3.2m invested in re-development of Moycroft Waste Transfer and Treatment Centre
- We reduce our carbon emissions for non-domestic properties by 21%
- More than 50 water and energy savings projects carried out
Education and training:
- >1,200 P6 pupils attended STEM in the Workplace at RAF Lossiemouth
- 624 S3 students attended ‘sector’ days in eight key sectors (including learning and childcare, construction, health and life sciences)
- 224 young people engaged in Career Ready programme
- Elgin Youth Development Group offering young people work experience in hospitality sector and helping them develop skills for work
- 91% of 16-19 year-olds in education, employment, or training and personal development
Community Support, and Poverty and Social Inclusion:
- Leases secured to prevent closure of town halls and community centres in Buckie, Cullen, Dufftown, Elgin, Findochty, Forres & Keith
- Morayvia and Action Marine Park secured their CAT in Kinloss and Lossiemouth respectively
- Participatory Budgeting (PB) delivered by tsiMoray supported 23 projects
- PB project #YouChoose3 a finalist in National Health Awards 2019
- Moray LEADER awarded funding to 14 new projects, totalling over £1m
- 268 eligible clients offered advice on debts, benefit and finance
- £1.3m extra income as a result of the assistance received
- Funding secured to extend and increase the project until March 2023
Tourism:
- Economic impact of tourism in Moray stood at £129.6m
- Total visitors to Moray Speyside were 797,880