Improving the town's prosperity

MORE than 200 delegates attended the first ever Warrington Business Conference which looked at how to improve the town’s prosperity.
The event, organised by the borough council, was at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Theme was: “Making Warrington an even better place to do business” and the conference provided a forum for discussing how the private and public sectors can work more closely together.
A council spokesperson said it is believed that Warrington is coping better with the recession than other regional towns and cities. A Centre for Cities report named Warrington as the eighth most prosperous place in the UK.
Figures show that during the first half of the year there were more enquiries about business accommodation in Warrington than anywhere else in the North West.
The conference acknowledged the importance of private enterprise and the role it will play in leading the country out of the recession, and ensured that public sector delegates gained a better understanding of how it can help recovery.
Speakers included Felicity Goodey, chairman of Salford Urban Regeneration Company, and Robert Hough, chairman of the North West Development Agency.
There were also networking sessions, workshops and the chance to access business advisory services such as Business Link Northwest and Warrington Chamber of Commerce.
Coun Ian Marks, leader of the council, said: “The feedback shows that the hard work the council has put into building close relationships with the private sector is really paying dividends.
“It became very clear during the conference that the delegates all share the same ambitions for Warrington’s future and a determination to succeed. This common sense of purpose and a willingness to share ideas and knowledge will push us on to a more prosperous and collaborative future.”