Today I realised what my place in the world means to a few very precious persons. It is not often you are able to think about who you are beyond what you do Mon-Fri, or beyond what you were born into. Today was a welcome reminder that a greater calling awaits us all, and with great responsibility one must wield great caution.
Wokingham named technology capital of the UK – Reading Post
Wokingham has been named technology capital of the UK. A wealth of multi-national business parks has made Wokingham borough the country’s technology hotspot.
The borough has more than five times the national average proportion of jobs in the tech sector, according to figures from the Tech Monitor UK report issued last week.
Bracknell was listed 13th in the breakdown, five places behind Reading in eighth.
The triumph has been celebrated as the realisation of Wokingham Borough Council’s vision to be a ‘great place to live, an even better place to do business’.
Councillor Rob Stanton, the council’s deputy leader, said: “This is great news for the borough, because the technology and knowledge- based sectors are the most important sectors for the UK’s economic future and we are leading in them.“ The tech sector has consistently outpaced all other sectors during the past 10 years for job creation and output growth.
It is also the most confident sector and business confidence is vital as we come out of recession. “We have consistently said that Wokingham borough must punch above its weight and this is a great example of us doing so. We are not complacent and don’t take our advantages for granted, which is why we are working in the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure we maintain our competitive edge and enhance our reputation as a place to do business even further.”
Wokingham borough is home to companies including Microsoft, BG Group, ING Direct and Oracle and boasts Winnersh Business Park, Thames Valley Business Park, Suttons Business Park and Green Park.
The Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a partnership between businesses and councils that helps set regional economic priorities and leads growth across the six Berkshire unitary authorities.
Steve Lamb, chair for Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “It is evident from the report Thames Valley Berkshire is rich in creative enterprise, and it is the LEP’s objective to support this dynamic and evolving industry. Known as the Silicon Valley of Europe, we live and work in a world class business location, with huge specialisms in digital and tech innovation.”
Cllr Paul Bettison, leader of Bracknell Forest Council, is pleased to see the borough ranked so highly in the report and says he is a little surprised it wasn’t placed even higher.He said: “We have 37 multi-national headquarters in Bracknell Forest and all but three are to do with IT. PWhether we are first or 101st, the important thing is we generate a steady supply of high quality employment – and we do.”
