Alison McGovern: A succesful future won’t happen by chance

Apr 20 2011

AS WE get to spring, and hopefully a continuation of some nicer weather, WE all hope the economy does better over the coming months and year ahead.

The recent reduction in the growth of the economy doesn’t bode well though.

And I’m worried about prices in the shops increasing quickly, when people’s wages are just not keeping up.

In Wirral and Merseyside, I hope our future will be a successful one.

But it won’t happen by chance.

Having supported Wirral Waters and other developments in our peninsula, we need to make sure they really help each and every person in Wirral have a better future.

Will the tax breaks offered by the Government result in increased profits for business, or investment in skills and jobs?

Hopefully both.

Will business move jobs to these enterprise zones away from other areas rather than create new ones? I hope not.

But I worry that the Government just isn’t doing enough, and that years could go by with young people facing tough unemployment, and permanently losing the chance to build a career.

With the regional development agency gone, future jobs fund ended, and Government spin out-weighing Government action, I know it’s my job to try and campaign for better.

The Government could enable public contracts to require apprenticeships.

They could help councils support small businesses through planning permissions for big developments.

That’s what I’ll be calling for in the coming months.

Otherwise we’ll face the same unsuccessful developments of the 1980s, which blighted rather than helped us in Merseyside.