Actions

Allow the business community and groups to participate in engaging and delivering the updated One City Plan actively - they are asking for this to happen and want to be involved.

Ensure participation from relevant parties and those with strong social media outreach to ensure representation and inclusiveness.

Create “set challenges” back to the community, so they can respond around the investment and business ecosystem so there can be a direct interface and ensure that it is done with pace.

Update and respond to all who participated in this work, and share a plan of action that has meaning for them, which signals change within the city.

The city borough council needs to re-evaluate its communication platforms for the community; they currently are not working as effectively as they should.

Let those with extended social media platforms start communicating and pushing out the city's messages, so all are supportive in promoting and attracting businesses and there is a clear and unified “message” and approach.

Chester as a city is currently not known for start-up or earlystage businesses; it needs to change the messaging for these businesses to create a new future.

Chester is known for its heritage and tourism but not for its business capability despite the city having its heritage in trade.

Create a targeted campaign which speaks to early-stage businesses in growth to both attract and showcase businesses locally and regionally.

CWAC must evaluate future job sectors with a new lens for declining retail and business sectors so it can build talent and skill sets to drive resilience.

The business community wants a clear direction and vision for the city, to understand their part and how they can contribute to shared success.

The old guard approach, usual suspects and outdated business models must be addressed with new clarity to deliver new thinking.

Compelling statements and commitments need to be made around Chester's future not just as a city of heritage and tourism but as a city of possibility that recognises its sector focus and how it is responding to change.

Build a new narrative for the city which holds relevance, purpose and meaning for a city looking forward 10 years.