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A high number of people are employed in health and social care. The sector has 41,000 jobs with 23,500 of these in human health and a further 10,500 in residential care.
In the Marches, as well as across the UK, this sector is expected to experience an increase in demand with an increasing gap in provision for the elderly as the population ages.
There are 33,700 retail jobs across the Marches, amounting to over 12% of total jobs.
In the context of the changing retail environment and the need for town centres to respond to changing markets, there are three town centre Business Improvement Districts in the Marches, which aim to work with partners to deliver investment and improvement to the town centres of Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Hereford.
The education sector is a large employer with 24,500 jobs.
The quality of education offered by the Marches, including its schools in the independent sector, is a key asset to support inward investment and the location of people and businesses.
There are 18,500 jobs in construction in the Marches and around 3,150 construction businesses. Of these jobs, 6,500 are in specialised construction activities, including electrical installation, plumbing, joining, roofing, painting, scaffolding and plastering.
The construction sector is central to our investment in new infrastructure, commercial space and housing.
A Marches-based partnership has recently secured funding under the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Construction Skills Fund to encourage more people to enter the sector.
Our logistics sector employs almost 8,000 people and is closely related to our supply chains in advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food and drink.
There are more than 4,000 registered VCSE organisations with a further 2,418 small informal groups in the Marches. The sector employs 6,760 people and has a large voluntary workforce, contributing over £6m to the local economy.
The VCSE sector in the Marches provides a broad range of functions including helping unemployed and economically inactive people access employment, training carers, providing relief to health and social care services, supporting skills and reducing absenteeism, and finding innovative ways to overcome transport restrictions.
The Marches has a diverse visitor economy offer, comprising our beautiful natural landscape, including three AONBs, high quality locally produced food, a World Heritage Site and historic market towns.
The visitor economy plays an important role and our natural, cultural and heritage assets are essential to attracting people to live and work in the Marches. it is also a large employer with almost 4,250 jobs in accommodation, supporting thousands more in related sectors such as restaurants, museums, transport, and visitor and leisure attractions. To support the sector The Marches LEP has recently supported the development of a visitor economy strategy.
The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has now ceased trading and transferred all its functions to Shropshire Council working with Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council, in line with the UK Government's plans for devolution.
The Marches LEP was established in 2011 and hands over an impressive legacy from its 13-year life. In that time the LEP invested over £196m in projects across the Marches, securing in excess of £100m of match funding and supported more than 66,000 business interactions.
The schemes supported have made tangible differences to local communities, increasing skills, creating jobs and improving the physical appearance of many towns.
We would like to thank all the LEP Board Members who have given their time freely over the life of the LEP, as well as all the staff who worked for the LEP over the years. We also want to thank our delivery partners, local education providers and local, regional and national stakeholders who helped us achieve so much.
The Marches Growth Hub will continue to support businesses and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Each of the three Local Authorities will also continue to provide direct business support locally. Details of this support will be available through the Marches Growth Hub website and from the Local Authorities directly. Website: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk | email: enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk.
The Marches Careers Hub will continue to be delivered and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Website: www.marchescareershub.co.uk | email: info@marchescareershub.co.uk
For any queries about Getting Building Fund (GBF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Marches Investment Fund (MIF) projects supported by the Marches LEP please contact: gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk
For any finance queries please contact: michelle.hodgkiss@shropshire.gov.uk
The solvent liquidation of the Marches LEP is being managed by the Evelyn Partners Limited. For any matter related to this please contact: Camilla.Mulholland@evelyn.com