On Employment in Brentford
Ian McDonald of SPA Ltd (Strategic Planning Advice) spoke on employment in Brentford at the AGM, and his speech is summarised below.
Ian’s company has been looking at employment opportunities in Brentford, with particular respect to Commerce Road site for ISIS. It is no longer clear what type of employment should be pushed in Brentford, along with the national economic picture and other serious considerations like climate change. Busness as usual will not work.
Need to look at the wider area. Golden Mile with its export businesses, creating a net addition to the economy is one major type of business. High Street is the other with a service sector for local consumers and businesses. Multiplier effect needs to be considered of the knock on effect if a large business closes then other employment is also lost; naturally this applies with business growth as well.
Lots of export activity, but Brentford does not benefit enough from that.
Looked at 16 largest firms, interviewed 13 of them with global employment of half a million, revenues of £200 billion, 11,500 employees in Brentford out of 27500. Manufacturers are still in Brentford. 12 of the 16 are serving global markets, 4 are serving UK. Net additional revenue to London economy and to Brentford. There are 2 global HQ, 4 European, 5 national HQ, and 4 other HQs.
5000 employees in public sector, with 10,000 in smaller export firms or service firms.
Took whole spectrum of employment, divided them up into different sectors and looked at how compared with West London and growth. 5 sectors set for growth: radio/TV, wholesale and household goods, real estate (huge property management), software consultancy, human health.
New futures, new ways of earning money. Through interviews looked at what Brentford offers for business, such as location between Heathrow and central London, historic watercourses and heritage, huge concentration of skilled labour, commitment of council through BAAP and community strategy.
Gillette has gone; other more accessible, better serviced locations are winning out in West London. Local economy has dwindled so crisis at both levels.
Relatively few local people employed in major local firms, and local unemployment (JSA count) has grown 60% since 2007. Employees on Great West Road have very few accessible shops/services so get in car and go to Chiswick/Ealing etc. so more car journeys and no input into local economy. Less attractive for workforce to be there so some employers struggle to recruit. Large firms procure through national companies rather than using local firms so the local economy does not benefit.Major investment in new housing schemes but this doesn’t seem to have given new life and investment to High Street. Regeneration project can focus on the end result without thinking of interim solutions to keep footfall in Brentford.
N/S link between A4 and Commerce Road with tow path which could be developed to help bring people down to the High Street. Option of connecting E/W so link through to Brentford station from Commerce Road.
Need business connectivity. Need to build business centre/forum/club with links to young people (this is being explored with Garth Buckle), support small enterprises, find a way to bring major firms into scheme as mentoring role so links between all the different types of economies. Looking for viable working model for this.