HIE chief says jobs and communities are our prime focus, as new plan is published
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Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has said it will focus on "resilience, restart and green recovery" over the coming year.
The development agency's newly published operating plan for 2021/22, Action for Jobs and Communities, includes targets to support more than 700 jobs.
HIE will seek to increase business turnover by more than £80 million and secure £60m to £80m in capital asset investment, including green investment.
The agency also intends to support between 30 and 40 income-generating assets for communities and increase social economy turnover by £3m to £4m.
Resilience support will focus on sectors such as tourism and food and drink, as well as island, rural and disadvantaged areas most impacted by Covid-19 and Brexit.
HIE says it will also pursue new opportunities for employment and business growth in sectors such as life sciences, energy, space and the marine economy.
Other priorities include supporting projects linked to population resilience and talent attraction, and accelerating progress in the transition to net-zero emissions.
Collaboration with partners at local, regional and national level will continue across all HIE's activities, it says.
Chief executive Charlotte Wright said: “We are delighted to publish our operating plan for the year ahead. This is about resilience, restart and green recovery.
"It’s about developing and pursuing opportunities that will generate significant growth in the medium to long term, especially in our islands and rural mainland areas. And it’s about attracting talent and retaining rural populations.
“Jobs and communities are our prime focus, whether we are leading projects, supporting third parties or working with partners to help create a better future for our region and its people.
“All of this means targeting our resources to maximise benefits, while being a strong and passionate voice for the Highlands and Islands that informs national decisions and attracts additional investment.”
HIE chairman Alistair Dodds said: “This operating plan responds to both the pandemic and the changes introduced by the UK’s exit from the European Union. Its development has been informed by our experiences over the past year, by the views of our customers and partners, and by our vision and ambition for this region, which remain as strong as ever.
“We look forward to implementing the plan in ways that benefit all parts of the Highlands and Islands and ensure our region plays a full role in Scotland’s economic recovery and transition to net-zero.”
Last week Ms Wright and Mr Dodds took part in a HIE board engagement session with businesses, community groups and representative bodies from Caithness and Sutherland to find out how they have adapted over the past year.
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