AS LEADER of the council, I will never tire of saying that continuing to improve our local economy is one of my key goals.

That’s why two of the four priorities that underpin the council’s recently adopted Vision are to “offer education opportunities that lead to the right skills and right jobs in the right places” and “improve infrastructure and housing to support a low-carbon economy.”

Locally, we are already benefiting from the ongoing improvement in the UK’s economy, as we have seen recently from Honda’s announcement that they are creating 500 new jobs at South Marston.

I am sure that this increased production, which Honda intends for export, will have wider benefits for the local economy.

I believe that as many residents as possible should be able to share in the wealth creating opportunities, that is why I was pleased to support local MP Justin Tomlinson in his role as Minister For Disabled People in promoting the first British “Reverse Jobs Fair” at Steam last Friday.

This was part of the wider Disability Confident campaign to encourage more firms to hire workers with disabilities and it sits well with Swindon’s role as a town that is prepared to be innovative.

The aim of the conference was for local employers, whether large or small, to match up their recruitment needs with specialist disabled recruiters.

I am delighted that more than 100 companies were present, including the council.

It was good that Swindon was able to host such a pioneering event and I hope that other towns will work with the Department Of Works And Pensions And The Minister to follow suit.

What struck me most was the vibrant, positive, enthusiastic atmosphere. Everywhere the focus was on the positive contributions that people can make to the workplace and how firms could benefit from this. It was also an opportunity for local people with disabilities to display their skills and capabilities to employers.

We are a town with a general history of good levels of employment, yet the employment rate for the disabled is only around 30 per cent. This is something that we must change.

The benefits to individuals from being in employment are well-known. It raises self-esteem, promotes health and well-being and allows people to live independently.

What we need to do is to find ways to overcome the barriers, which are based more on perceptions, which might make employers hesitant.

The Reverse Jobs Fair will contribute towards creating a more realistic appreciation of people’s potential.

The fair itself was just a beginning. I hope that local employers, especially in the private sector, will follow through with job opportunities.