Member Article

County Durham jobs target ?outstripped?

The body responsible for attracting new business to County Durham has reported that it has beaten its targets for the year. County Durham Development Company (CDDC) says that its role in promoting the area as a great place to do business has resulted in more than 3,000 potential jobs being secured, more than double the number it was tasked to attract.

Stewart Watkins, CDDC managing director, said: “County Durham is a dramatically different business landscape from a decade or two ago. It is reinforcing its reputation as a first-class destination for businesses to locate. “What is most pleasing is the quality of companies choosing the county as a base – they are bringing high-tech jobs that will have a positive effect in reversing the ‘brain drain’ which has increasingly become a concern for the North East. With a world-leading seat of learning such as the Durham University on our doorstep, that is a crucial role for us to play.”

Durham County Council chief executive Mark Lloyd said: “The County Council is committed to creating an outstanding business community that will drive the local economy for the benefit of all. CDDC has a vital role to play in this effort. “It is clear to see what a substantial effort has been made over the past year to attract new companies and, importantly, to maintain important employers.”

Since it was established in 1987, CDDC has helped more than 4,000 businesses create a total of 48,500 jobs in County Durham.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .