Mayor’s task forces will battle the downturn
Jan 15 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal
NORTH Tyneside’s elected mayor John Harrison is to set up two new task forces to support the borough’s businesses and retail centres through the current economic difficulties.
The new Business Task Force – a partnership with One NorthEast and the Homes and Communities Agency – will complement a retail centres task group, which met yesterday for the first time to ensure a stable future for all North Tyneside’s towns and shopping centres.
And it will provide a focus for advanced intelligence about how local businesses are performing and ensure they get the help and support they need at the earliest stage.
He said: “Recent months have been a very challenging time for the economy. The latest announcements by Marks & Spencer and Woolworths have reinforced that even the biggest businesses are not escaping this global situation.
“As a council, we are already delivering a range of support for North Tyneside businesses – not least the retail centres task group that is looking at ensuring the vitality of all our borough shopping centres.
“But we recognise that such a dramatic global situation demands that we provide very specific local support to protect our business sector, which is so crucial to the future vitality of North Tyneside.
“I have already met with representatives from the top 10 employers in the borough.
“Now I have asked my officers to establish a new Business Task Force at the earliest opportunity bringing together business people, not just from the large organisations, but also the medium and smaller-sized organisations.”
Unemployment claims in North Tyneside have risen from 3% to 3.6% between July and November 2008, compared to 3.9% in the region as a whole.
The council is helping its business suppliers maintain cash flow with the introduction of a more streamlined BAC payment system from the council directly into bank accounts, using an electronic invoicing system.
Efforts are also being made to assist companies and businesses that might have short-term difficulties in making payments to charges made by the council, such as business rates.
