Background & Economy

Pictures Courtesy of South Somerset District Council

Chard, located in the south of Somerset, is a town whose employment is highly dependent on manufacturing, 37% of employees in 2002 being in the manufacturing sector. There is also over-representation of employment in Distribution, Hotels and Restaurants (28.1% of employees in 2002). The Chard economy has gradually improved in recent years with evidence of investment by local companies, in the town centre and in the community infrastructure. The local labour market is, however, extremely tight with recruitment difficulties being experienced across all skill types.

Important employers include food processing and engineering manufacturers. The food manufacturer is increasingly recruiting foreign workers to meet its labour requirements.

Engineering manufacturing seems to be recruiting again after a dip in previous years. This sector recruits both skilled and unskilled labour. There is fierce competition for highly skilled technicians and this is partly resolved by taking on apprentices and trainees.

Action for Chard Town (ACT) is the regeneration partnership engaged in the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative in Chard to develop the Community Action Plan, covering social, environmental, economic and cultural themes in the community. For the development of some of the economic themes ACT provides the core for the Chard partnership for the Market Towns Employment Project.

The baseline analysis of the employment situation and economy in Chard identified:

• Recent losses of jobs (-17% between 1998 and 2002) and business stock
• A very high reliance on manufacturing
• Heavy reliance on a small number of large employers, with 4 of the top 5 employers in declining sectors. This represents 1,800 jobs
• A low proportion of employment in sectors that are forecast to increase (and recent losses in these sectors)
• A declining number of jobs in Knowledge Based Industries
• A large proportion of unemployment in the town is in 50+ age group
• Poor participation in further education
• Poorly qualified workforce
• Very low wages generally and evidence that female workers excluded from better paid jobs
• A lack of cultural amenities
• An inadequate range of retail and community facilities and services