Corporate plan

• 47.8% of residents aged 16-64 are educated to NVQ4+ (equivalent to Higher Education Certificate/BTEC).
• 35% of vacant jobs are not filled due to lack of skills (compared to a national average of 36%).
• 89.2% of pupils attend good or outstanding schools in Buckinghamshire (compared to the South East 90.9% and England 90.1%).
• The value of exports from Buckinghamshire comes to £6.853 billion in 2021 - £4,032 billion of services and £2,821 billion in goods (ONS 2023).
• 81.2% of residents are in employment (employment rate aged 16-64) compared to the South East average of 79% (APS, Jan 2023-Dec 2023)
• 4.1% of those aged 16-64 have no qualifications (Regulated Qualifications Framework-RQF) compared to the South East average of 5.1% (APS, Jan 2023-Dec 2023).

Buckinghamshire is a relatively prosperous county with a strong business community, contributing £20.366 billion to the UK economy in 2022 (GDP in current prices).

The county has low unemployment, higher than average household incomes, and boasts world leading sectors. From Pinewood Studios in the south to Silverstone in the north, Buckinghamshire is a great success story. We are also well placed to take advantage of emerging opportunities because of our proximity to London and Heathrow, and our location in the middle of a leading economic area with global strengths in science, technology and high-value manufacturing.

However, the labour market has been stagnant for some years since the Covid-19 pandemic, but we are keeping a watchful eye on how the Budget, specifically the changes in National Insurance Contributions, will affect the level of jobs available locally. Our high streets have been severely affected and are still facing challenges, including the change in retail habits with increased online demand and falling footfall in town centres. Action is needed now to ensure our economy remains fit for the future.

The Council continues to invest heavily in our highway network and the ongoing programme of local schemes and strategic road repairs and improvements. Inclement weather has this year further exacerbated where road surfaces are already damaged, and especially through extensive use by HGVs, such as we are seeing in many parts of Buckinghamshire, most notably associated with construction works for HS2 and East West Rail.

We want:

• To encourage sustainable economic growth, working with our partners to maximise opportunities and boost productivity
• To continue to attract high quality jobs and investment in skills, innovation, and connectivity, keeping Buckinghamshire one of the best places to do business
• Growth to benefit both new and existing communities, preserving the character of our environment while delivering everything we need to prosper

Working with partners, we will:

• Provide a clear and consistent vision for Buckinghamshire through a new Buckinghamshire Local Plan and Local Transport Plan.
• Continue our commitment to working proactively and in partnership to deliver regeneration plans for Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Chesham and other town centres Preliminary priority projects include Queen Victoria Road Council Offices, Denmark Street new Council Offices and Tesco, together with Whitehart Street improvements in Wycombe and Market Square, Cambridge Street and Gala Bingo and the associated projects in Aylesbury
• Optimise capital and revenue opportunities in our property estate to support the economy and other council services
• Enable residents to be successful in their chosen career by encouraging skills development providing inclusive opportunities for levelling up and lifelong learning
• Support the business community, especially SMEs, to grow and flourish including through promotion of high streets and Enterprise Zones
• Continue to deliver the investing in our road programme commitment to spend £105m on Buckinghamshire roads and pavements, including gulley emptying, improvements to drainage and our street lights in 24/25 aligned to out robust data driven highways asset management policy
• Continue to seek mitigations from the impact of HS2 and East West Rail on Buckinghamshire’s residents, businesses by securing the necessary road repairs and reinstatements and communities
• Continue to deliver the infrastructure that Buckinghamshire needs where possible ahead of planned growth, including improving connectivity, and strategic Transport links, increasing sustainability, attracting investment in the economic prosperity of the county and tackling congestion
• Promote Buckinghamshire, its locations and reputation as a film friendly county and maximise the economic and social benefits of location filming in Buckinghamshire