Our Priorities
Over the years we have listened to
what business leaders and members have been saying and have
developed a series of key priorities around the following 6 main
themes:
Please click the links below for
further detail on each priority area.
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We are committed to addressing the problems posed by
traffic congestion, which have a serious impact on the social and
economic potential of the West of England. Our priorities are
focussed on tackling congestion, improving public transport,
supporting Park and Ride schemes, emphasising the importance of
improvements to the local and national rail network and promoting
proposals for additional new road schemes. |
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We will work to ensure the West of England remains an
attractive place to work, live and do business by encouraging
enterprise in all its forms. In particular we are conscious
of the need to assist the Airport and Sea Port, new computer
technologies, Creative and Media, Tourism, Retail, Environmental
Technology, Advanced Engineering, including aerospace and defence,
Financial Services and Construction. |
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The provision of sufficient land for housing in the West
of England is one of the greatest challenges we face. The current
shortage of housing is not only bad for people who can’t find a
suitable place to live, it represents a serious threat to our
economy, contributes significantly to transport congestion and
endangers the quality of the environment which is so important to
the region’s success. We believe we should be building more
houses and planning for growth in a more long term coordinated
fashion and we will continue to press for sustainable
growth. |
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Business success rests upon the availability of a skilled
workforce, whilst society needs competent citizens who are willing
and able to make a personal contribution to the community within
which they live. We support activities that improve the
standards of the local education system and encourage employers to
invest in skills and quality training. |
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We will work to ensure the West of England remains an
attractive and vibrant place to live. The active involvement of
business in cultural development, through the activities of the
Bristol Cultural Development Partnership, has helped create such
wide ranging projects as At-Bristol, Brief and Animated Encounters,
South West Arts Marketing, Bristol 2008 and its follow up, Creative
Bristol. We support activities to improve community access to
quality health facilities and safe, attractive open spaces and
encourage business and the public sector to take seriously issues
that effect our quality of life, from reducing congestion and
encouraging flexible working to the development of a high quality
retail and tourism offer. |
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The pressure for growth in the West of England is clear
for all to see and whilst The
Initiative has consistently promoted growth and development
this has always been matched with the belief that this should be
carried out sustainably and that the quality of the environment
should be maintained. There is little doubt that significant change
is needed in terms of the way in which we all approach the issues
of climate change, energy
use/supply, flood risk,
sustainable construction and the development and provision of
sustainable communities. We will remain at the heart of the
debate, asking the difficult questions, but also offering creative
and innovative solutions and inspiring both the public and private
sectors to work together across administrative
boundaries. |