AWICS Representations to Eden District Council on Economic Development

Eden District Council invited localbusinesses to comment on their economic development services in 2011. Thispaper is the AWICS response.

AWICS had earlier completed Best ValueReviews of the Economic Development services at East Dunbartonshire Council andLewisham Borough Council and Adrian Waite was asked to address a nationalconference organised by the Institute of Public Sector Management on: ‘The Roleof Local Authorities in Regenerating the Community Economy’.

Discussions about economic developmentin and with local authorities often tends to focus on the Council’s budget foreconomic development and what services and grants the Council can afford togive. However, this paper argues that the economic development function shouldbe more about facilitating and enabling both internally and externally.

Internally this involves asking whatcontribution each of the Council’s functions can make to economic development –being an in-house champion of economic development. Externally, this meansnetworking with public, private and voluntary organisations to benefit thelocal economy.

For full briefing paper please click here.