This document discusses strategies for developing prosperous and sustainable market towns. It examines the economic foundations and roles of market towns, using case studies from Welland and West Yorkshire towns. Key performance indicators are measured to benchmark the economic strengths and weaknesses of towns, such as retail offerings, commercial units, footfall, and business confidence. The document advocates developing a vision and action plan through situation analysis and determining necessary inputs like addressing skills gaps. It also discusses attracting inward investment through strategies focusing on authority support, infrastructure, environment, education, and promoting local strengths and sectors.

1. Prosperous Business, Prosperous Towns AMT Convention 2008 Skipton

2. Objectives How is your town doing The components of a sustainable market town economy Assessing current economic status and opportunities Potential strategies Inform AMTs policy paper, targeted at town partnerships and town councils

3. Prosperity + Sustainable Communities What does it mean for a town?

4. Economic Foundations - role and sectors Yorkshire Forward 2008 report: ‘ Assessing the economic performance of rural capitals in Yorkshire and the Humber’ Status by function, size and location: Labour provider Business location Tourism hub No dominant role Sectors or general business hub; role of town centre

5. Welland Market Towns Case Study An informal network of 14 towns supported by the Welland SSP : Bourne The Deepings Higham Ferras Irthlingborough Lutterworth Market Harborough Melton Mowbray Oakham Oundle Raunds Rushden Stamford Thrapston Uppingham

6. Why benchmark? Powerful tool for the towns which assists in: Understanding their current relative strengths and weaknesses - crucial to targeting areas for improvement Seeing trends in the local economy -assists with early intervention if required Focussing forward strategies and action planning Effectively measuring the benefits of partnership activity

7. What is measured? Data is collected on 12 Key Performance Indicators : Retail offer observation commercial unit types key attractors vacant units retail property yields rental values profile of markets footfall counts Surveys on vitality Shoppers origin surveys Car parking provision and usage Business confidence Visitor satisfaction

8. Website – www.townbenchmarking.org.uk

10. Wider town view - Sources of information Existing data Local authority + other local sources Primary Data Collection

11. West Yorkshire Case Study Slaithwaite Marsden

12. Marsden and Slaithwaite Case Study Vision -> Plans A place to live and work for all the community The Green Valley Initiative Cluster of green business Environmental technology Sustainable building/ green building training facility

13. Planning Future Action Situation Analysis (understand and measure current economic performance) Develop realistic plan for future economy Identify inputs required for plan (e.g. Skills gaps, need for more land for development) Determine actions – influencing or invest

14. Inward Investment AMTi Case Studies Strategy Strong authority Transport Links / car parking Environment Community facilities Housing Education institutions Technology Local fit with growth sectors + understanding Skills Land / property Business Support and Networking Promotion

15. Conclusions Complicated picture Assessment process Local vision Intervention