Part One: Spatial Strategy and Policies (Regulation 19)

9.54. Restructuring Dudley's economy is one of the key principles of the Dudley Local Plan's Vision, but the provision of land and premises alone will not deliver the necessary economic transformation without new skills and training in the workforce to help it meet the challenges of changing work requirements and patterns.

9.55. The Plan plays a key role in ensuring that people who suffer from social exclusion and disadvantage are able to fully contribute to the regeneration of the borough. It is therefore important that jobs created through new developments across Dudley are accessible to as many of the borough's residents as possible, especially those in the most deprived areas or priority groups.

9.56. There are several aspects to improving the accessibility of job opportunities to residents. It may be necessary for improvements to public transport infrastructure and services to be funded, and better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists to be provided. This would help ensure that residents are able to travel to and from their places of employment within reasonable timescales.

9.57. Support may also need to be provided to assist residents, particularly those from either disadvantaged groups or deprived areas, in applying for new jobs and to receive training that will assist them in accessing employment opportunities. Childcare provision may also help in enhancing access to employment and individuals with mental or physical health difficulties may also require support to enable them to access jobs.

9.58. There are existing support structures and facilities in place across the borough and the sub-region to help ensure that local people can access and receive appropriate training to develop the necessary skills to compete successfully for jobs.

9.59. To assist with this, where major new employment-creating development is proposed, negotiations with companies will take place to devise suitable bespoke training and recruitment programmes that can benefit local people.

9.60. Attracting graduates to, and retaining them within, Dudley will also be key to securing a knowledge-based economy. The higher and further education sector is a major driver of economic, social and cultural regeneration and ongoing investment in this sector is supported. Dudley Council will also support initiatives that strengthen linkages between the education sector and the wider economy.