Conservative Controlled Council Wins Top National Award

Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council is on of a trio of councils that has won a prestigious national award for their work to secure millions of pounds worth of investment at i54 South Staffordshire.

Last week Staffordshire County Council, Wolverhampton City Council and South Staffordshire Council picked up the MJ Community Investor Award, a national award that recognises the efforts of local authorities to support development in their communities.

The three councils worked together to secure significant investment into the i54 site, stimulating growth and creating jobs for local people at a time when budgets are tight and councils themselves are coming under increasing financial pressure.

i54 is now home to a variety of international companies including Moog, Eurofins and Jaguar Land Rover who have all invested into the site.  Jaguar Land Rover alone is investing £500million in a new advanced engine manufacturing facility and bringing with them nearly 1,400 jobs.

The whole site is forecast to employ almost 3,000 workers by 2015 and to double in size again by 2020.  Added to this, a dedicated motorway junction is being built to accommodate the site.

Receiving the award were the leaders of Staffordshire County Council, Philip Atkins, Wolverhampton City Council, Cllr Roger Lawrence and South Staffordshire Council, Cllr Brian Edwards.

In a joint statement, they said, “Our three councils have worked hard to attract major investment and jobs to the area, and this award recognises the efforts we have made and the commitment we have to developing our local communities.

“i54 is a unique project that not only benefits local communities, but also supports economic growth and job creation regionally.  The importance of being able to attract major international companies to the area cannot be underestimated, and this award is testament to the hard work and dedication of all three councils in securing this vital investment.

“With work at Jaguar Land Rover’s engine manufacturing plant progressing well and both Moog and Eurofins already operating, the site has firmly been put on the map.  We hope that this award shows that councils working together to achieve a common goal can have benefits that extend across boundaries, and can make a significant impact on local communities, and the local and national economy.”