Minister Meets Local Businesses To #Talkvalleys

Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language Alun Davies today met local business leaders to learn about the type of support they’d like to see from the Ministerial Taskforce for the south Wales Valleys. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Joining the Minister at Tredomen Business Centre was local businessman and taskforce member Andrew Diplock, Director of Strategy and Governance at Inprova Energy, whose Welsh headquarters are in Caerphilly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The pair met representatives from local business and advisory services, including the South Wales Chamber of Commerce, Biotage GB, and Smart Money Cymru, to hear about the barriers, and opportunities facing their businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alun Davies said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Since establishing the taskforce this is the first time I have had the opportunity to meet directly with business leaders and it was great to hear about their experiences of operating in the valleys and what they would like to see happen to help their companies thrive; I have learned a lot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It was especially encouraging to hear such positivity on issues around skills and training opportunities while there seems to be excitement about the Taskforce’s links with the City Regions and how we can harness the potential of new initiatives such as the Metro system.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Andrew Diplock said, “All types of businesses are important to our economy and it was a fantastic opportunity today to listen and discuss what the taskforce can do to support business start-up and growth in the South Wales Valleys. I’ve been part of the business community in Caerphilly for almost 15 years and it always a pleasure to engage with likeminded businesspeople and have an open discussion with a cross section of organisations from the Caerphilly area. Thank you to all that participated in the discussion as it has provided many ideas, opportunities and solutions for the taskforce to consider further.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The taskforce aims to build upon work previously undertaken in the area in a more coordinated and targeted way to meet the needs of our valley communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The taskforce is holding a series of public meetings in the coming months across the South Wales valleys to seek the views of local communities about their priorities for their local areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​