Enterprising Wirral (From Wirral Globe)

Enterprising Wirral

2:00pm Friday 2nd November 2012 in News By Geoff Barnes

WIRRAL has contributed more new enterprises to the Merseyside region in the last year than any other authority - at a rate of growth that outperforms regional and national averages.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that Wirral now has 6,915 enterprises, up 255 on the previous year's figure.

The number represents a 3.8% rise - the greatest recorded in the Merseyside region. Wirral has contributed 34% of the overall increase in the number of enterprises across Merseyside.

There are now 1,175 enterprises in the professional, scientific and technical sector -  a 6.8% increase on the previous year.
               
Construction is the second largest sector in Wirral in terms of the number of enterprises but there has been no change in growth this year. The third largest sector - retail – has seen a 4.5% increase.  

The sector which has seen the biggest performance increase is information and communication.

This industry has increased by 12.7% since 2011 - equating to 45 new enterprises. The transport & storage sector is up 8.8% this year, the second largest growth of any sector.

The annual growth of enterprises in Wirral is 3.8%. The same figure for the North West is 2.3%, and for the UK, 3.4%.

Cllr Pat Hackett, cabinet member for regeneration and planning strategy said: "We have seen significant successes at locations like Marine Point, New Brighton, and at Wirral International Business Park, which continue to regenerate the local area while providing a base for new investment and growth.

"The ONS figures are promising indicators that Wirral is a healthy environment for new start ups, and particularly in relation to other local authorities in our region.

"Combined with recent reductions in job seekers allowance claimants, this shows that Wirral people are benefiting from Wirral’s ambitious investment strategy."

Wirral Council’s investment strategy team has recently secured £5 million of funding from the Regional Growth Fund, to allow infrastructure improvements to be made to port areas for the storage and assembly of wind turbines, for use in Irish Sea offshore wind developments.