The third meeting of the BetterBath Forum will discuss the economy of Bath. The Government’s Regional Spatial Strategy identifies Bath as a focus for economic growth and the Council is planning for an additional 11,500 jobs in the City over the next 20 years (a 16% increase).

 

Previous meetings of the Forum have highlighted:

How will employment growth on the scale envisaged affect these big issues? 

 

The City’s economy is dominated by relatively low-paid public sector and service sector jobs. How can we get more highly-paid and sustainable jobs? Which sectors should the City prioritise? How do Bath’s position and prospects compare with other cities in the West of England as an employment location? Are we making the most of the economic opportunities which could be generated by  our two universities?

 

There will be two short opening presentations:

The discussion will then be thrown open, and participants will be invited to share their views about the City’s future direction.

 

Sam Holliday, Editor of the Bath Chronicle, will be in the chair. Towards the end of the meeting he will summarise the key points emerging from the debate, and these will be posted on this website   We will invite the appropriate bodies (the Council, the B&NES Initiative, the universities etc) to comment on these key points after the meeting, and will publish their responses online.

 

Doors open at 18.00 when tea and coffee will be available and raffle tickets will be on sale. The meeting will start promptly at 18.30. At the end of the meeting there will be an opportunity to purchase a glass of wine and continue the discussion informally. 

 

All takings from the sale of refreshments and the raffle will go to local charity, the Genesis Trust, which supports and helps the most needy in our community, including by providing life skills activities and traning and work placements.