The Priorities

A Growing Economy

We want to improve the quality of life for everyone in Devon by...

Creating the conditions to enable Devon to have a strong and growing economy, ensuring maximum opportunities are available for everyone to contribute and benefit from it.

How Devon is now:

Devon Economic Partnership is working to achieve its vision that Devon will have a dynamic, competitive and sustainable economy that builds on its strengths, promotes opportunity for all and enhances the environmental qualities of England's greenest county.

There are 13 priority regeneration communities in Devon that have been designated using a mixture of ID2007 (Indices of deprivation) and local knowledge. A significant proportion of these communities are within the most deprived 25% of communities nationally.

Employment levels are high, but many jobs are low paid, part time and seasonal, with average full time earnings well below the national average.

How will we achieve this Priority?

By 2018, measurable improvements will have been made in the following areas:

• Worklessness and economic exclusion have been reduced, the employment rate and wage levels of the disadvantaged have increased, and more affordable housing is available.
• Sustained investment will have been achieved and as a result business infrastructure and communications, including the transport infrastructure, have improved.
• Co-ordinated strategies are in place to unlock the economic potential of the most disadvantaged communities, and positive progress has been made as a result.
• Skills have been developed and harnessed, in particular greater investment has been made in workforce development plans, barriers to learning opportunities have been reduced, graduates have been attracted and retained and, as a result, the economy is more competitive.
• Business start-up and growth has increased as a result of the promotion of enterprise, improved productivity, promotion of innovation and development of the knowledge economy