Economic strategy survey

Have your say on our economic strategy

Survey closed: Wednesday 30 September 2020
Survey opened: Tuesday 15 September 2020

We're putting together an economic strategy to:

  • focus on the future for our economy
  • address the short-term impacts of COVID-19

This is important to support our vision for Central Bedfordshire. It will work alongside our sustainability plan.

About our vision

In 2019, we began working to develop a shared vision for 2050.

We did this with a broad range of stakeholders, residents and partners.

Our vision aims to maintain and enhance what is great about Central Bedfordshire.

It also embraces the future and how our lives and the world of work are changing.

We want to achieve:

  • a strong economy, underpinned by a skilled workforce with a culture of innovation
  • a wide range of successful businesses
  • a digital infrastructure that is fit for the future
  • an economy that seizes opportunities for all, led by a green recovery
  • a great place for business, especially small or medium businesses, which bring investment, employment to our area
  • an education system that helps all our young people into great jobs
  • support for our older generations with lifelong learning

We needed your help

We’ve identified key areas to achieve our economic strategy and our vision for 2050.

We want to be sure we’ve chosen the right ones. So, we asked your help to rank them in order of importance to support a sustainable economy.

These key areas are:

  • work with existing buildings and networks to develop opportunities for all
  • provide the right infrastructure to support all residents
  • develop leisure and cultural experiences
  • provide mixed-use high streets enabling our market towns and villages to thrive
  • be climate responsive and resilient by developing the outside economy and green infrastructure
  • build on leisure assets, making leisure facilities available to all
  • build on our culture while providing training to support employment in local tourist attractions
  • work with innovators to improve biodiversity
  • explore the use of technology to harvest more local produce
  • promote community-led food production
  • provide leisure facilities and open spaces
  • install electric vehicle charging networks
  • develop cycle networks
  • develop cleaner and greener modes of travel
  • promote beneficial growth by developing the right mobility, green and social infrastructure

Your views are important to us. It doesn't matter if you're a resident, a business or another organisation.