A meeting of the newly established Practitioners' Forum is the latest in a long line of Council-led innovative initiatives aimed at driving Banbridge District’s economic growth forward.

Made up of ten representatives working in the wider field of economic development, the main aim of the Practitioners’ Forum is to work together on ensuring the Council’s new Local Economic Development Strategy for the period 2007-2013 is equally as successful as its previous strategy for 2001-2007.

Councillor Seamus Doyle, who chairs the Council’s Leisure and Development Committee, commented: "Through the implementation of our Local Economic Development Strategy, we aim to create the right conditions in which our area’s economic prosperity can flourish – not just through the creation of wealth and jobs, but also with the things that mean we can attract industries, encourage local innovation and create the sort of environment where people want to live and work."

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Councillor Doyle said: "We play a significant role in driving economic success and competitiveness. Some 820 jobs were created locally as a direct result of 68 projects delivered by our previous strategy.

"We’ve also assisted in the provision of industrial workspace, promoted town and village restoration, helped expand rural businesses and delivered training programmes. We’ve also expanded our economic development activities to tackle broader more ambitious issues of regeneration and renewal in the District.

"With the support of the Practitioners’ Forum, we want to build upon our past success and ensure that the Banbridge District continues to experience a record level of investment and growth together with low unemployment."

Members of the Practitioners’ Forum will meet bi-annually to discuss the implementation of the Council’s new Local Economic Development Strategy with a view to reviewing how changes occuring in the local and wider environment might impact its delivery.

(JM/SP)