The Council’s Economic Development Section acts as a First Stop Shop - a gateway for local assistance, providing advice to businesses and the community in general as well as supporting the main government economic support agencies.

The Economic Development Section provides the following services:

• responds to local issues and provides local solutions to local problems.
• accesses European funding through the European Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland 2007-2013 and other sources to provide business support programmes for local businesses.
• works in Partnership with and complements the work of other economic development organisations and agencies.
• as part of our Civic Leadership obligation tackles social problems by ensuring greater investment and employment opportunities.
• compliments the Tourism and Community Development services.
• promotes the Borough as an attractive inward investment location.
• promotes training and employment opportunities to local people.

The Council’s Economic Development Strategy 2007-2013 addresses the following themes:

• Business Development
  Support and encourage SME development, develop the workforce and encourage continuous improvement, improve the environment (infrastructure, congestion, rural protection, waste, recycling).
• Infrastructure Development
  To ensure business and communities have adequate space to ensure their economic sustainability
• Outward and Forward Looking
  To ensure greater competitiveness and to develop opportunities for businesses to trade outside of Newtownabbey

The Economic Development Section was responsible for managing and administering £1,062,090 under the Local Economic Development measure of the European Union’s Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme from 2001-2006 and managed and administered £105,801 from the New Opportunities Fund to deliver an ICT Outreach programme from 2003-2006. More recently during 2010/2011 the Section was responsible for the management and administration of £128,355 under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.

Some examples of funded projects include:

• The Local Sourcing Programme assisted 30 businesses, it produced a potential trade value of £853,000 by assisting businesses to gain access to purchasing opportunities in large public and private sector organisations.
• The Sales Growth Programme assisted 30 businesses, outputs included an average of 15%/£36,000 anticipated increase in sales, 8 potential Invest Northern Ireland clients and 4 jobs created.
• The Small Firms Development Programme assisted 22 businesses, outputs included 8 jobs created, 2 participants winning Newtownabbey Business awards, 79% of participants developed new products/services/technology, 74% of participants identified new markets, 74% of participants stated an increase in profitability, 84% of participants stated an increase in sales and 53% showed potential to increase exporting.
• The Strategy in Business Programme assisted 25 businesses, outputs included 60% of businesses potentially increasing profitability by 10%, 8 potential Invest Northern Ireland Clients and 40% of participants signposted to a range of further business support activities.
• The Developing Your Corporate Identity Programme assisted 20 businesses with a potential 56% increase in turnover, an increase in overall profitability of 22%, 100% of participants made changes in their business as a result of participating and 22% stated jobs would be created.
• The SME Procurement Programme assisted 25 businesses, outputs included 1 company recording three tender wins at a value of £40,000, 1 company submitting a total of 3 tenders with a potential value of between £70k-£120k, 2 further companies have been successful at PQQ stage for contracts with a potential value of £900k and £750k respectively.
• The DEL Investors in People Programme assisted 15 businesses, to date 7 companies have achieved Investors in People Status with 8 due to receive the status in over the next few months.

Looking to the future a key objective for the Council will be to provide continued support for the sustainability and development of existing businesses in the Borough. The Council is committed to working in partnership with local businesses to ensure they receive the tools needed to meet this objective.

Over the next 3 years the Council’s Economic Development Section will deliver and manage a range of business support programmes to local businesses in the Borough. Businesses interested in participating on future programmes should contact the Economic Development Section.