Pictured above: Mark Pearce, Corporate Director for Economic Regeneration at Advantage West Midlands

Regional development agency Advantage West Midlands is working alongside key regeneration partners in Staffordshire to start rolling out a tailored package of economic measures to support market towns worst affected during the recession.

The response was developed by the West Midlands Taskforce, which is co-ordinating how the region responds to the economic crisis and comprises leaders from government, business, regional agencies, local authorities including Staffordshire County Council and trade unions.

Leek and Uttoxeter will be able to access the following support: 

• Specific larger employers in the private sector in these towns will be contacted by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and offered a package of business support to help retain jobs during the recession, build business resilience and plan for the future.

• A programme to support independent retailers will be introduced. The 'Skillsmart Retail'* programme will be delivered alongside retailers and other partners with support from Business Link West Midlands.

• £150,000 is being made available to the Citizens Advice Bureau and similar service advisors to increase their support services across the region's worst affected market towns - and Leek and Uttoxeter will benefit from this increased capacity.

In addition festivals and events will also benefit from AWM's regional and national "Join the Celebrations" programme. These include:

Lichfield Festival (July 9-12), Heart of England Fine Foods and Wedgwood Festival (September 5-6); Samuel Johnson birthday celebrations (September 18-20), Stone Food & Drink Festival (October 2-4), International Ceramic Festival (October 3-December 13). For more information visit www.visittheheart/marketowns

Councillor Mike Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills and Enterprise, at Staffordshire County Council, said: "We know that the recession has hit businesses and residents in the county really hard.

 "It's important that organisations such as AWM understand the challenges we face locally and I am delighted that the Agency has responded with this programme of support."

Mark Pearce, Corporate Director for Economic Regeneration at Advantage West Midlands, said: "We know that times are hard in our rural areas as a result of the recession. Many market town communities are hugely reliant on a few local employers, their local high streets and tourism.

"This tailored economic response, as recommended by the West Midlands Taskforce, is above and beyond our current rural programme and is being rolled out to give market towns the right support and access to the right opportunities to thrive and not just survive this recession.

"We're a region that has learnt from past economic shocks and recognise the value of collaboration and team work - and Taskforce partners in this particular team are committed to developing the prosperity of the region's market towns."

The West Midlands Taskforce, established in November 2008, is chaired by Ian Austin MP, Regional Minister for the West Midlands.

The Taskforce website, supportwm.co.uk has now had over 30,000 hits from people and businesses affected by the recession.