Plan to tackle poor wages in rural district to be launched

Ryedale District Council revealed yesterday that an economic action plan spanning the next three years is firmly rooted in building on the engineering sector which is already a key part of the local economy and is reporting growth.

A wide-ranging consultation which has gleaned the views of leading business organisations and the public has led to a list of priorities being drawn up including promoting the racing and shooting industry and reviving the aspiration for a technology park in the Malton area.

The action plan will also look to help the district’s existing businesses expand by providing more industrial letting units, while the long-running saga to introduce a dual carriageway on the entire stretch of the A64 between Malton and York has been identified as vital to bolstering Ryedale’s economy.

The district council’s head of economy, Julian Rudd, said the creation of a technology park in the Malton and Norton area “remains an objective” of the authority, as well as providing a range of quality employment sites and premises across Ryedale. Mr Rudd revealed that the consultation had identified a need to concentrate on Ryedale’s economic strengths in the small and medium-sized business sector - as well as the engineering industries.

He added: “(Engineering) is a sector which has the capacity and potential to provide additional jobs including skilled, well-paid work. We want to support this growth.”

Mr Rudd confirmed the economic plan will focus on increasing local wages which average in the region of £19,000-a-year - the lowest in the Yorkshire and Humber region and below the national average.

Respondents to the consultation claimed the Ryedale district is the “Newmarket of the North”. While young workers in racing are often poorly paid there is nonetheless opportunities for a rewarding career with wages often escalating significantly, according to the consultation. Landowners also stressed the importance of countryside sports such as shooting for Ryedale’s economy.

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