Gorgeous Gort Context for the Development of Gort and its hinterland in the Burren Lowlands

Prepare by Teagasc for1

Burren Lowlands Development Group

February 2014

nderta!en as part of t"e Teagasc #edra Plus Pro$ect%

Introduction Gort &s t"e most &mportant town for a large swat"e of 'out" Galway and (ort" #lare% )t &s t"e largest town from *nn&s to +ranmore and from Portumna to t"e sea% ,owever &t "as suffered s&gn&f&cantly &n econom&c terms &n t"e downturn% T"e ob$ect&ve of t"&s s"ort document &s to prov&de a conte-t for t"e development of an act&on plan to &mprove econom&c s&tuat&on of Gort and &t.s "&nterland% )n do&ng t"&s/ we "ave created a s"ort report w"&c" outl&nes t"e ev&dence &n relat&on to t"e need for econom&c development Evidence National Evidence Draw&ng upon t"e analys&s underta!en by Teagasc/ we report f&rst nat&onal c"aracter&st&cs of small and med&um s&0ed towns &n )reland% *-cept for t"e largest towns/ t"e total populat&on and t"e wor!&ng age populat&on "as grown faster &n 'mall and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de t"an nat&onally%2 )nward m&grat&on rates also "&g"er/ alt"oug" t"ere &s substant&al nat&onal var&at&on across count&es% 'mall and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de "ave on average "ave been &mpacted to a greater e-tent by t"e econom&c down turn t"an c&t&es/ w&t" "&g"er &ncreases &n unemployment rates and decreases &n employment rates% +n average unemployment rates are "&g"er t"an nat&onal average 1but lower t"an &n 2aterford or #or!3% *-cept for t"e largest towns/ educat&on levels are lower t"an t"e nat&onal average &n small and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de% *-cept for t"e largest towns/ &n terms of t"e sectoral compos&t&on of $obs &n small and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de/ t"ey are d&sproport&onally rel&ant on decl&n&ng &ndustr&al sectors 1t"ose w&t" fall&ng employment 4 5gr&culture/ construct&on/ &ndustry3% Poverty rates are "&g"er &n small and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de '&gn&f&cantly/ part&cularly &n t"e smallest towns/ t"e s"are of wor!&ng age "ouse"olds w&t" no one &n wor! 1$obless "ouse"olds3 &s 206 "&g"er t"an t"e nat&onal average at 716% T"e age of propert&es &s sl&g"tly younger &n rural areas t"an &n t"e urban areas w&t" 486 1776 &n c&t&es3 bu&lt s&nce 1991/ reflect&ng t"e property boom% ,owever/ t"e s"are of unoccup&ed "omes &s :06 "&g"er &n small and med&um s&0ed towns and t"e open countrys&de at 206% 2&t"&n rural areas/ t"ere &s a large gap between t "e s"are of owner occup&ed "ous&ng &n open countrys&de 1;163 and &n t"e towns and v&llages 1:463/ t"e latter &s below t"e nat&onal average 1<063%
2

)n t"&s document/ refer to rural areas as areas outs&de t"e 8 ma&n c&t&es/ separately referr&ng to towns over 1800/ large towns of over 10000 and &nclud&ng settlements and v&llages of under 1800 as part of t"e open countrys&de%

#onsumer demand &s depressed% 'av&ngs rate was 26 &n 200< 4 &t &s now 12=146 nat&onally across "ouse"olds and &ndustry% For non "&g" wealt" "ouse"olds/ sav&ngs rate rose from 26 to ;6 2008=2010% D&fferent&al &ncrease &n small towns% 'av&ngs rates "ave r&sen substant&ally amongst t"e smallest towns/ w&t" t"e sav&ngs rate &ncreas&ng by 7006 more t"an t"at &n c&t&es/ reflect&ng t"e worsen&ng econom&c s&tuat&on% T"e b&ggest &mpact of t"e c"anged sav&ngs rate &s a reduct&on &n &nvestment e-pend&ture% Personal consumpt&on "as not been affected to t"e same degree% 5verages &n &nd&cators mas! a w&de var&ab&l&ty &n c"aracter&st&cs% For e-ample compar&ng t"e best 10 towns and t"e worst 10 towns 1measured by unemployment and m&grat&on3/ t"e bottom 10 "ave tw&ce t"e unemployment rate/ a d&fference &n t"e net m&grat&on rate of ;06 and 8:6 of t"e s"are of tert&ary educat&on% 'mall and >ed&um s&0ed towns typ&cally "ave lower v&s&b&l&ty &n nat&onal pol&cy strateg&es%

Gort Evidence Gort "as been s&gn&f&cantly affected by t"e downturn as measured by t"e 200: and 2011 #ensuses of Populat&on 1'ee table 13% )n a t&me of r&s&ng populat&on/ Gort lost 282 people? t"e only d&str&ct &n 'out" Galway w&t" a populat&on loss? a net em&grat&on rate of one s&-t" )n 2011/ t"ere were 440 less people &n wor! and 7:0 fewer $obs &n Gort/ result&ng &n an &ncrease &n t"e unemployment rate from 46 to 146 ,owever t"e s"are of tert&ary graduates "as &ncreased from 1:6 to 206% T"e s"are of unoccup&ed "ous&ng was 7:6 &n 2011 5s a contrast we compare a s&m&lar s&0ed town &n t"e same part of Galway/ +ranmore 1Table 23% +ver t"&s per&od +ranmore@ Ga&ned nearly :00 people ,ad 1;0 more people &n wor!/ lost 110 $obs/ "ad an &ncrease &n t"e unemployment rate from 2%<6 to ;%:6 )ncreased &ts s"are of tert&ary graduates from 746 to 786 T"e s"are of unoccup&ed "ous&ng was 176 &n 2011 Gort t"us "as been "&t s&gn&f&cantly "arder t"an +ranmore &n terms of $obs/ populat&on c"ange and t"e s"are of unoccup&ed "ous&ng &s "&g"er% T"e educat&on level &s lower% Pr&or to t"e cras"/ from A4 200</ Gort "ad been Bu&te successful/ )ts populat&on &ncreased by over 900 between 2002 and 200:/ "ad a net &mm&grat&on rate of :06 )t "ad <00 more &n wor! and :00 more $obs and "ad an unemployment rate of 4= :6/ comparable w&t" +ranmore )n tables 7 and 4/ we report t"e c"ange &n t"e &ndustr&al structure% T"e b&ggest d&fference between Gort and +ranmore &s t"e decl&ne &n t"e s"are of construct&on $obs from 216 &n 200: to :6 &n 2011 &n Gort compared w&t" 126 and :6 &n +ranmore respect&vely% T"us to some e-tent t"e construct&on cras" and unsusta&nable "ous&ng boom affected Gort to a greater e-tent t"an +ranmore or ot"er towns nat&onally%

Table 1 !ocio"Economic #rofile of Gort

Year !""! !""' !"## Population #$%$ !*$! !(%" Number in Work $"& #&+& #"($ Number of Jobs #"'" #'&& #!$( Net Jobs !(' #(" !!* Net Migration Rate ")!! ")'" ,")#( Unemployment Rate ")"' ")"& ")#& Tertiary Educated %%" &(" &+* Tertiary S are ")#$ ")#' ")!" Unoccupied ouse s are

")!'

Table $ !ocio"Economic #rofile of %ranmore

Year !""! !""' !"## Population !&"* %(!% &#%! Number in Work ##!& #+(" !#!+ Number of Jobs #&!" !&'# !%&' Net Jobs !+' (## !#* Net Migration Rate ")!"'#(' ")&&"%+! ")##*+&% Unemployment Rate ")"%%(%& ")"!'*&% ")"$'!!! Tertiary Educated '"! ##+' #&%& Tertiary S are ")!( ")%& ")%( Unoccupied ouse s are

")#%

Table & Industr' #rofile of Gort

Year !""! !""' !"## -griculture. forestry and fis ing ")"% ")"& ")"% Manufacturing industries ")#+ ")!" ")!! /uilding and construction ")"* ")!# ")"' 0ommerce and trade ")%% ")!& ")!+ Transport and communications ")"& ")"! ")#! Public administration ")"% ")"% ")"& Professional ser1ices ")!" ")#% ")!# 2t er ")#! ")#% ")"&

Table ( Industr' #rofile of %ranmore

Year !""! !""' !"## -griculture. forestry and fis ing ")"% ")"% ")"! Manufacturing industries ")%# ")!' ")#$ /uilding and construction ")#" ")#! ")"' 0ommerce and trade ")!* ")!$ ")%* Transport and communications ")"+ ")"+ ")#* Public administration ")"# ")"# ")"! Professional ser1ices ")"+ ")"+ ")#& 2t er ")"+ ")#! ")"%

Teagasc created an &nde- of small and med&um s&0ed towns &n )reland based upon t"e unemployment rate and t"e net m&grat&on rate% )n Table 8/ we report t"e ran!s of towns &n #ounty Galway over t"e #ensus per&ods 2002=2011% 5s part of a Teagasc study/ w"ere towns were ran!ed &n relat&on to unemployment and em&grat&on/ a number of facts emerged@ Galway "as some of t"e top towns nat&onally under t"&s measure w&t" #lar&nbr&dge/ Barna/ #arnmore/ #l&fden/ #raug"well and +ranmore all &n t"e top 10 per cent of towns% >ost of t"ese towns are commuter towns and reflect Galway.s econom&c strengt"% Ball&nasloe and Cossaveal are &n t"e bottom 20 per cent Gort "owever "av&ng been $ust outs&de t"e top 106 &n 200: and 2002 are now &n t"e bottom 106 &n t"e country "av&ng lost 780 $obs and lost 106 of &ts populat&on dur&ng t"e cr&s&s% Table ) *an+ of Galwa' Towns in Ireland ,ran+ed b' combination of unemplo'ment and migration
To3n -T4ENRY /-556N-S52E /-RN0-RNM2RE 05-RE7-5W-Y 05-R6N/R687E 05698EN 0R-U74WE55 R2SS-:E-5 72RT 52U74REM2UNT /E55EW M2Y0U55EN 2R-NM2RE 2U74TER-R8 P2RTUMNTU-M !""! !" *" !" #" #" #" (" #" $" !" %" %" #" #" %" (" $" !""' !" +" #" &" !" #" *" #" #"" !" %" !" #" #" &" '" *" !"## %" +" #" #" &" #" #" #" +" #"" *" %" !" #" &" &" *"

,owever &t was not always t"&s case% Pr&or to t"e cras" Gort was reasonably "&g"ly ran!ed $ust outs&de t"e top 70% Gort t"us "ad be far t"e largest decl&ne &n ran! across all towns &n )reland% ,owever t"e decl&ne s&nce 200: &s an aberrat&on reflect&ng a magn&f&ed &mpact of t"e cr&s&s &n Gort relat&ve to ot"er towns due to 5n over rel&ance of construct&on 5n unsusta&nable &ncrease &n econom&c act&v&ty 5n unsusta&nably fast populat&on and "ous&ng r&se pr&or to 200:% T"e earl&er ran!&ng "owever reflects a "&stor&cal strengt" &n terms of &ts attr&butes and econom&c potent&al% F&gure 1 "&g"l&g"ts for e-ample t"at Gort &s at t"e centre po&nt of a "&g" educat&on a-&s t"at follows t"e road between L&mer&c! and Galway/ w"ere t"e rat&o of post=

secondary educated to t"ose w"o left educat&on before 1< &s double% )t &s t"us a rural area w&t" relat&vely "&g" "uman cap&tal% T"&s geograp"&c pos&t&on &s also reflected &n e-cellent/ road/ ra&l and a&rport l&n!s as well as close pro-&m&ty to ma$or tour&sm assets suc" as t"e Burren/ #oole Par!/ Galway Bay and Loug" Derg% )ndeed geolog&cally/ Gort form part of t"e Burren lowlands% Gort also "as a s&gn&f&cant cultural "er&tage as a central locat&on w&t"&n t"e #elt&c rev&val movement at t"e turn of t"e last century% 5 recent study by Teagasc "&g"l&g"ted t"at Gort and &ts surround&ng area &s one of a good e-ample of an )r&s" rural area w&t" a s&gn&f&cant tour&st potent&al but w"&c" &s under=e-plo&ted% T"&s report also emp"as&ses t"e potent&al of bu&ld&ng upon a Frenc" concept !nown as Terro&r/ w"ere/ food/ landscape/ culture and "er&tage are comb&ned to create a ve"&cle for bot" cultural and econom&c development%

-igure 1 *atio of population with a post"secondar' .ualification to those whose education ceased before the age of 1/

!0%T 1nal'sis Table 2 !0%T 1nal'sis

'trengt"s Ca&lway 'tat&on (ear 5&rport >otorway D&aspora 5men&t&es ,er&tage Coad and Ca&l )nfrastructure Gateway to Burren 'w&mm&ng Pool/ ,otels/ Ceta&l Long establ&s"ed serv&ce and "ub town 'ports clubs +pportun&t&es )ncrease tour&sm T"e Burren? E&lmacduag"? L&terary "&story 4 potent&al sp&noffs 1*ducat&onDresearc"3 Flood&ng? un&Bue geology Govt L&terary Fest&val >arc" Pr&de Transport B&!e ,&re? #ycle >aps 5nTa&sce #ru&se L&ners '!&lls Prof&le Landscap&ng F&bre broadband for all bus&nesses 4 e#ommerce 'ports and Cecreat&on Farm&ng #ommun&tyD >art Play par!s 'port Broadband P"ys&cal Fabr&c of Town >a&n town &n reg&on Tour&sm Potent&al Pro-&m&ty to Galway T"e 'Buare 5ttract&ons and amen&t&es )mprovement &n &nfrastructure 1water and broadband3 #oole Par! #oole Par! >ar!et&ng Burren Beo connect&on 2al!&ng Tour *co tour&sm 2e&g" "ouse *-tra ; Cyana&r fl&g"ts *lect&ons? use &t as opportun&ty 5ccess Food #ulture 2or! more closely w&t" surround&ng area >ore &ndustr&al par!s )nformat&on centre #omplete publ&c amen&ty pro$ects 1publ&c to&lets3 Greater level of local &n&t&at&ves 2ea!nesses Par!&ng nderuse of T"e 'Buare@ &%e% mar!et? Lac! of '&gnage '&gnage on >otorway (o T&dy Towns #omm&ttee #los&ng of t"e ,er&tage #entre pward only rent rev&ews Tour&sm numbers &n decl&ne Fa&lure to ut&l&se natural resources suc" as t"e r&ver Derel&ctD'em& derel&ct "&stor&cal bu&ld&ngs T"reats 5pat"y@ #ounty #ounc&l? Galway/ )nsurance Cesources 5llocat&on of free t&me Lac! of co"es&on between pol&t&c&ans and local commun&ty (o Local TD *mpty '"ops@ Cates 5est"et&cs Coundabout and entrance to town Tour&sm aut"or&t&es promot&on (ot enoug" &ndustry or $ob creat&on L&tter collect&on &s sparse

Cudderless C&s! avers&on nemployment F slow recovery Local (at&onal 2&ldl&fe Par! *m&grat&on

T"ere "ave been two recent attempts to underta!e a '2+T analys&s for Gort &n 2017% T"e f&rst was underta!en by t"e 2est Ceg&onal 5ut"or&ty and more latterly by t"e Gort Development Group fac&l&tated by Teagasc% )t &s uncanny "owever t"e s&m&lar&t&es between t"e f&nd&ngs of t"e two stud&es t"at were underta!en &ndependently/ &nd&cat&ng t"e robustness of t"e &ssues% )n t"e table above/ we comb&ne t"e results of t"e two '2+T analyses% Lessons from %ther !tudies in relation to producing a development strateg' Small Towns, Big Ideas &s a year=long study of small towns across t"e n&ted 'tates w"o are surv&v&ng and/ &n some cases/ t"r&v&ng as "ubs of econom&c and c&v&c development 1Lambe/ 200;3% T"e study &dent&f&es seven t"emes as ta!e=away lessons for ot"er commun&t&es% 1. In small towns, community development is economic development 'trateg&es typ&cally assoc&ated w&t" commun&ty development can correspond w&t" econom&c development% #ommun&t&es t"at &ncorporate econom&c and broader/ long= term commun&ty goals stand to ga&n more t"an small towns t"at ta!e a p&ecemeal approac"% 'uccessful small towns balance s"ort=term econom&c ga&ns w&t" longer= term commun&ty development goals% 2. Small towns with the most dramatic outcomes tend to e proactive and !uture" oriented# they em race change and assume ris$ D&re econom&c and c&v&c s&tuat&on can act as a spur for local commun&t&es to try new t"&ngs and ta!e new r&s!s rat"er t"an rely on "ow t"&ngs "ave always been done% 'uccessful small towns embrace c"ange and adapt bus&ness models to s"&ft&ng c&rcumstances% T"&s may &nvolve a lot of tr&al and error and towns may "ave to be w&ll&ng to accept some fa&lures &n order to ma!e progress% Towns s"ould also be proact&ve rat"er t"an react&ve% T"&s means respond&ng to c"allenges before t"ey become a problem and prepar&ng t"e local commun&ty for opportun&ty% %. Success!ul community economic development strategies are guided y a roadly held local vision T"e study emp"as&ses t"e &mportance of establ&s"&ng and ma&nta&n&ng a broadly "eld v&s&on/ &nclud&ng goals for all manner of development act&v&t&es% )nclus&veness and openness &s v&tal for t"e plann&ng and v&s&on&ng process/ espec&ally to ensure t"at oppos&t&on to t"e development efforts does not ta!e "old for lac! of understand&ng of t"e larger v&s&on% 5 separate but related po&nt &s t"at &n small towns/ people 1as opposed to money3 are always t"e most &mportant resource and are t"e one absolutely necessary &ngred&ent to successful development% 5dd&t&onally/ spec&al attent&on must be pa&d to &ntegrat&ng newcomers &nto t"e commun&ty as t"ey can br&ng a new energy and fres" perspect&ve to local c"allenges% &. 'e!ining assets and opportunities roadly can yield innovative strategies that capitalise on a community(s competitive advantage G&ven t"e l&m&ted sources of compet&t&ve advantage for small towns/ econom&c development assets need to be def&ned &n as broad a way as poss&ble% 5ssets for small

town development m&g"t &nclude &nd&v&dual people/ non=prof&t organ&sat&ons/ bus&nesses/ open spaces/ farms/ par!s/ landf&lls 1b&omass3/ museums/ sc"ools/ "&stor&c arc"&tecture/ local att&tudes or any number of ot"er assets% Furt"er/ t"e mere fact t"at t"at a part&cular town &s small can become an asset e%g% lower costs to bus&ness/ percept&on of "&g"er moral and et"&cal standards &n small towns% ). Innovative local governance, partnerships, and organisations signi!icantly enhance the capacity !or community economic development >ost successful towns &n t"e study &ncluded an &nnovat&ve element of e&t"er organ&sat&on or governance% #reat&ve approac"es to organ&sat&onal structure can strengt"en a commun&ty.s development potent&al% Ceg&onal&sm/ or &dent&fy&ng opportun&t&es and partners"&ps beyond town boundar&es can "elp small towns to pool resources toward s"ared ob$ect&ves% )t &s also &mportant for local leaders to able to connect w&t" "&g"er level pol&cy ma!ers and bus&ness leaders for developmental purposes% Publ&c=pr&vate 1&nclud&ng non=prof&t3 partners"&ps are also emerg&ng as a successful organ&sat&onal model for small town development% *. E!!ective communities identi!y, measure and cele rate short"term successes to sustain support !or long"term community economic development G&ven t"e long=term nature of commun&ty development/ leaders &n small towns must repeatedly ma!e t"e case for t"e &mportance of t"e&r efforts% 5 number of strateg&es can be used to accompl&s" t"&s% F&rst/ s"ort=term success can bu&ld long=term momentum% Beg&nn&ng w&t" steps t"at can be accompl&s"ed &n s"ort order can demonstrate t"at c"ange &s poss&ble and bu&ld momentum to tac!le more &ntractable c"allenges% 5lso/ once people see c"ange "appen&ng/ &t g&ves t"em more of an &ncent&ve to $o&n &n t"e process% 'econd/ commun&t&es s"ould ma!e an e-pl&c&t effort to mon&tor and measure t"e &mpacts of t"e&r efforts% Data can be used to attract add&t&onal &nvestment from outs&de sources and can also be used to conv&nce a commun&ty.s naysayers to $o&n t"e efforts% F&nally/ small towns s"ould commun&cate and celebrate success% Local papers s"ould be !ept &nformed of var&ous econom&c development pro$ects% *ven t"e most modest successes s"ould be publ&c&sed% +. ,ia le community economic development involves the use o! a comprehensive pac$age o! strategies and tools rather than a piecemeal approach 'uccessful development &n small towns &s always mult&faceted% T"r&v&ng commun&t&es tend to "ave a compre"ens&ve pac!age of strateg&es and tools t"at matc" t"e core assets/ c"allenges and opportun&t&es w&t"&n t"e&r reg&onal conte-t% ,owever/ t"ere &s no un&versally appl&cable formula for small town development% Dec&s&ons on w"at to do and "ow to do &t must be based on local cond&t&ons/ conte-t and capac&ty% Bar!ley 120013 recommends s&- separate alternat&ves for employment generat&on &n small towns and strateg&es commun&t&es can use to ma!e t"ese alternat&ves come to pass &n t"e&r towns% 1% Cecru&t new bas&c employers from outs&de t"e commun&ty/ pr&mar&ly branc"es of mult&=plant manufactur&ng concerns

Branc" plants generally e-port or&entated/ strengt"en&ng t"e commun&ty.s econom&c base? prov&de lots of employment opportun&t&es from t"e outset% #ommun&ty act&ons@ develop local &ndustr&al s&tes and publ&c serv&ces? prov&de spec&f&c &nformat&on on local ava&lable labour? prov&de transportat&on/ recreat&on/ commun&cat&on/ bus&ness serv&ces fac&l&t&es to &mprove local l&v&ng cond&t&ons? cons&der targeted searc"es for f&rms% 2% 'upport entrepreneur&al act&v&ty and t"e development of new small bus&nesses Locally owned f&rms purc"ase many of t"e&r &nputs locally/ t"us &ncreas&ng mult&pl&er effects? prov&de more stable employment over t"e bus&ness cycle? prov&de greater opportun&ty for manager&al and profess&onal $obs% #ommun&ty act&ons@ form &nvestor networ!s to ass&st new f&rms w&t" eBu&ty and debt cap&tal needs? prov&de mentor&ng and educat&on for potent&al entrepreneurs? adopt encourag&ng commun&ty att&tude towards entrepreneurs"&p/ espec&ally after prev&ous bus&ness fa&lure 7% )ncrease &ncome and employment &n local agr&bus&ness &ndustr&es by furt"er process&ng of local product&on or t"e development of new agr&cultural products Cural areas "ave comparat&ve advantage as pr&nc&pal &nputs located nearby? may st&mulate demand for locally produced goods 1bac!ward l&n!ages3% #ommun&ty act&ons@ programmes to a&d new agr&bus&ness f&rms w&ll be s&m&lar to t"ose for small bus&ness start=ups alt"oug" &nnovat&ve nature of some agr&bus&ness f&rms may mean t"ey reBu&re greater access to local cap&tal pool as more formal f&nanc&ng may be unava&lable% 4% *-pand local serv&ce and trade act&v&ty to reduce lea!ages of spend&ng outs&de t"e commun&ty 'erv&ce &ndustr&es prov&de greater employment stab&l&ty dur&ng bus&ness cycle fluctuat&ons? serv&ce and trade &ndustr&es generally put few demands on local serv&ces and t"e env&ronment? &ncrease local mult&pl&er by reduc&ng &mports% #ommun&ty act&ons@ survey consumer needs and buy&ng "ab&ts to &dent&fy mar!et potent&al of reta&lDserv&ce outlets? analyse and renew town centre s"opp&ng d&str&cts? generate more purc"ases by non=local people t"roug" promot&on and advert&s&ng? develop &nformat&onal programmes to encourage people to buy locally? br&ng reta&l&ng centres al&ve by comb&ng productDserv&ce promot&on w&t" recreat&onal act&v&t&es% 8% Develop tour&sm/ recreat&on and ret&rement &ndustr&es so t"at s&gn&f&cant outs&de spend&ng &s attracted to t"e commun&ty Br&ngs outs&de money to t"e commun&ty? tour&sm clean &ndustry w&t" relat&vely few demands on local publ&c serv&ces and env&ronment 1&f properly controlled3? development of tour&smDrecreat&on fac&l&t&es can also benef&t locals #ommun&ty act&ons@ plann&ng of tour&sm product must be commun&ty or&ented as tour&st e-per&ence greatly dependent on local "osp&tal&ty? local government s"ould

assume respons&b&l&ty for promot&onal act&v&t&es &f commun&ty offers numerous tour&st attract&ons as under=&nvestment &n t"ese efforts w&ll occur &f f&nanc&ng left to &nd&v&dual bus&nesses? government owners"&pDsubs&d&sat&on of tour&sm act&v&t&es may be useful &f ava&lab&l&ty of t"ese act&v&t&es generatesDprolongs tour&st v&s&ts? commun&t&es &nterested &n attract&ng ret&rees must prov&de for spec&al needs of t"e elderly e%g% "ealt"care serv&ces/ publ&c transport etc% :% Develop programmes w"&c" w&ll a&d &n t"e retent&on of and e-pans&on of e-&st&ng bus&nesses )mprov&ng eff&c&ency of e-&st&ng f&rms en"ances area.s compet&t&ve advantage? ass&st&ng local f&rms s"ould "ave greater s"ort=run employment benef&ts t"an ass&st&ng newD&ncom&ng bus&nesses #ommun&ty act&ons@ organ&se educat&onal programmes to strengt"en management capac&ty of f&rms? develop local cap&tal pools for use by local bus&nesses? sponsor educat&onal opportun&t&es for local employers and employees to &mprove Bual&ty of wor!force? prov&de Bual&ty )#T serv&ces? sponsor bus&ness apprec&at&on events% -reating a 'evelopment Strategy For towns loo!&ng to develop a strategy &n order to boost econom&c development/ #oppedge 119;23 and 2oods and 'loggett 120023 bot" prov&de deta&led c"ec!l&sts to s"ow w"at &s reBu&red% #oppedge 119;23 prov&des a seven step strategy@ Develop an overall plan@ Loo! at t"e &nfrastructure? #omp&le a l&st of GsuspectsH 1bus&nesses t"at could operate prof&tably &n t"e area3? #onvert suspects to prospects 1prospect&ve bus&ness3? 'ell t"e prospect 1conv&nce prospect to start a bus&ness &n t"e area3? Follow t"roug" on comm&tments? Eeep e-&st&ng bus&nesses% 2oods and 'loggett 120023 put forward e&g"t steps toward des&gn&ng a strateg&c econom&c development plan@ *stabl&s" a steer&ng comm&ttee? +bta&n tec"n&cal ass&stance? Develop bas&c data? Cev&ew econom&c development alternat&ves? 5nalyse !ey &ssues? )dent&fy f&nanc&al resources? 'et pr&or&t&es? )mplement t"e plan% *eferences

Bar!ley/ D%L% 120013% Employment generation strategies !or small towns# .n overview o! alternatives. 1C*DCL Cesearc" Ceport 09=2001=023% #lemson/ '#@ #lemson n&vers&ty% #oppedge/ C%+% 119;23% Small town strategy# /elping small towns grow 12estern Ceg&onal *-tens&on Publ&cat&on 823% #orval&s/ +C@ 2estern Cural Development #entre% Lambe/ 2% 1200;3% Small towns, ig ideas# -ase studies in small town community economic development% Cale&g"/ (#@ (ort" #arol&na Cural *conom&c Development #entre% +.Donog"ue/ #at"al/ #at"al Geog"egan/ Eev&n ,eanue and Dav&d >ered&t" 120143/ *conom&c Performance of Towns &n )reland% 0aper presented to the Statistical and Social In1uiry Society o! Ireland% Teagasc Cural *conomy and Development Programme 2oods/ >%D%/ F 'loggett/ G% 120023% 'trateg&c plann&ng for econom&c development &n rural areas and small towns of +!la"oma% 't&llwater/ +E@ +!la"oma 'tate n&vers&ty%