INDUSTRY leaders descended on Pembrokeshire recently to discuss support and businesses in Wales.

Eluned Morgan MS joined the industry leaders at Blackpool Mill near Bluestone Resort in Pembrokeshire where she told them that supporting rural businesses remains one of the most important challenges in realising the potential of mid and west Wales.

At the meeting – which included William McNamara of Bluestone, Eirwen Williams of Menter a Busnes, Elinor Williams of Ofcom and Stephen Thornton of Milford Haven Enterprise Zone – Ms Morgan discussed the progress of the Time to Meet the Challenge rural development strategy.

The strategy was published by the MS in 2017 and the members in attendance were some of the prime contributors to the original report.

The document set out a number of priorities to improve the economy of rural mid and west Wales and meet the unique challenges impacting the coastal and rural communities.

The six main points were: building on the infrastructure of rural Wales; increasing rural Wales’ skills and productivity; growing our businesses; promoting food, farming and forestry; using the foundational economy to ensure local jobs are provided for local people and maximising tourism potential.

Ms Morgan and her team have reviewed the current progress against the original report’s proposals to see how it has been implemented and where the next focus needs to be.

It was highlighted that factors including leaving the EU, the shift in resources for the covid-19 pandemic and the higher interest rates and inflation have had a detrimental impact on the planned economic headway.

But it was not all bad news as the delivery review did show that there had been ‘substantial achievements in infrastructure, skills and productivity improvement, business nurturing, agricultural promotion, and harnessing the potential of the foundational economy and tourism.’

Ms Morgan said: “Despite the fact that the economy of rural Wales has been battered by strong economic headwinds, it is heartening to find that there are countless examples in the updated document, which set out how economic transformation is underway in rural Wales.”

William McNamara, Bluestone National Park Resort’s CEO, said: “We were very pleased to welcome the committee to Blackpool Mill for such an important meeting. Businesses in rural Wales are a crucial part of Wales’ overall economy. They not only support jobs, they are the backbone of the rural economy and communities.

“Quite often our voice is lost amidst the urban areas of south Wales and so having a chance to highlight our views and discuss the economic matters that affect businesses and communities in rural Wales is vitally important.”

There have been some positive schemes including the introduction of 670 electric vehicle chargers across mid and west Wales and the £26m Welsh Government investment into the Welsh free port which will create new jobs and investment opportunities.

There is also the Rural Bursary which has provided £100,000 this year to students from rural areas to help with degree-related expenses as well as mentoring support for those wanting to start their own businesses.