Up to 1,000 new jobs in and around the municipality. That is the target set by Vordingborg Mayor Michael Seiding Larsen (V) for the current electoral term.
But companies are already struggling to find qualified employees, he stresses.
FemernBusiness asks the mayors in the region five standard questions about their priorities for the business community.
What is the biggest challenge facing businesses in your municipality right now?
- The biggest challenge is access to qualified labour. Many companies are struggling to recruit the employees they need, while demands for transformation, digitalisation and sustainability also require investment and development.
That is why our latest budget includes funding for an international employment and relocation adviser who will help companies attract workers and ensure that new employees and their families get a good start in Vordingborg Municipality.
Which business issue will you give the highest priority for the remainder of the electoral term?
- My highest priority remains the agenda I have led throughout the electoral term: Growth & Welfare.
For the remainder of the term, I will prioritise good business conditions and make use of the opportunities created by, among other things, the Fehmarn Belt link. We must support existing companies and attract new investment.
What will you specifically launch or change in the municipality to achieve that?
- We have also prioritised a more business-oriented approach to building permit applications, with an employee – what we call a mobile case officer – who will enter into dialogue with companies, residents and developers at an early stage and help find solutions.
At the same time, we have allocated additional resources to environmental matters, because fast and efficient regulatory processing is crucial when companies want to invest and develop projects.
What is the biggest obstacle to achieving that?
- A delay to the Fehmarn link could mean that the effects arrive later than hoped. But it does not change the direction.
We are also competing with other municipalities for companies, investment and labour. Vordingborg Municipality therefore needs to keep developing and remain an attractive place in which to establish and run a business.
What should companies notice if you achieve your goal?
- My goal has been to create up to 1,000 new jobs in and around the municipality during this period. That requires better conditions for the companies already here and the ability to attract new ones.
Businesses should have easier access to the municipality, faster clarification and one clear point of contact. The municipality should be seen as an active partner that creates opportunities rather than barriers.
All answers in this article were provided in writing and edited by FemernBusiness.
