Shropshire’s economy has seen £325 million of commercial investment since 2017, new figures have revealed.

The figure is 10 per cent higher than the target set by Shropshire Council for the period back in 2016 with new jobs created all over the county and a projected increase of 3,300 by the end of this year.

It comes as the authority continues to invest in the infrastructure for the new Oswestry Innovation Park off Mile End.

Attention is now turning to how the council can best support local businesses in the future – and that will be one of the key questions asked at Shropshire Council’s forthcoming “What next for Shropshire 2022 – 2027?” workshop in November.

The council has been working as part of the Shropshire Economic Recovery Task Force during the coronavirus pandemic and is now inviting businesses partners and other interested parties to help to shape Shropshire’s new economic strategy for 2022 – 2027.

In addition to establishing a roadmap for moving forward, the workshop session will review what has happened in the county over the last five years and, despite what people may think, there is much to be positive about.

Councillor Ed Potter, deputy leader and portfolio holder for Economic Growth, Planning and Regeneration, said: "This just proves that despite the challenges of last year, our businesses have remained resilient and positive in the face of adversity.

"We have an innovative and enterprising business community in Shropshire that is still coming to terms with a post-covid world. We want to know how best to support them going forward so that the county remains a great place to live, work and invest."

The conference and workshops will be held on Wednesday, November 3 from 9am to 12.30pm at the Sovereign Suite, Shrewsbury Town Football Club, Montgomery Waters Meadow and will be a hybrid event offering the opportunity to attend either in person or online.

The numbers for attending the event in person will be limited to 150, however the live streaming of the event will enable participants to contribute online to the workshops and collaborative activities.

Details to register on Eventbrite can be found on Shropshire Council’s Invest in Shropshire website and the Business Support page on the Shropshire Council website.