Enterprise zones in Wales should not be confined simply within geographic boundaries, say economic leaders in Monmouthshire

Councillor Bob Greenland, cabinet member for economic development at Monmouthshire County Council said the Wales 'enterprise zone' for the digital media sector could easily be shared among neighbouring counties in the Gwent area, where this knowledge-based industry is already taking hold.

This week the Welsh Government designated five areas across Wales as enterprise zones for particular sectors, but it hasn't yet indicated where the digital media zone should be located. These new industry hotspots are expected to offer special incentives to encourage companies to invest and thereby create dynamic business clusters.

Said Councillor Greenland; "By its very nature the digital sector is physically more flexible than other sectors, so it's not essential that any cluster covering this industry should be contained within one local authority boundary. For example Monmouthshire already uses digital technology very effectively in its shared resource centre with Torfaen next door.

He added: "Monmouthshire and neighbouring authorities in Torfaen and Newport can offer a lot to such businesses through their strong broadband infrastructure and proximity to the digital and creative expertise provided by the University of Wales, Newport.

"Moreover these areas offer excellent and very convenient transport links to other parts of the UK and here in Monmouthshire we can boast a genuine spirit of enterprise among local people which is being nurtured by our groundbreaking Enterprise Partnership forged between the council and Wales' largest business support agency, Venture Wales.

"We shouldn't just follow the English enterprise zone model but should think more creatively about how we make this concept work for us here in Wales," he added.

Monmouthshire has already identified digital industries as one of its target growth sectors along with renewable energy, up-market tourism and specialist food production.

David Bevan of the new Monmouthshire Enterprise Partnership which the council operates in conjunction with Venture Wales, said it was important that the Welsh Government thought through all the implications of enterprise zones and ensured they aided rather than hindered Welsh business outside the designated zones.

He said: "In the minister's announcement this week, for example, Anglesey was designated as a hub for the energy industry but we must be careful that this doesn't disadvantage other areas such as Monmouthshire, which has an emerging renewable energy sector.

"Through proper planning and supply-chain development we can ensure these flagship enterprise zones drive the growth of key sectors across Wales rather than in specified areas only," he added.