ESSEX County Council has this year brought millions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs to the county.

The County Council has provided vital business support, access to funds and improvements to infrastructure, acting as a catalyst to economic growth in Essex.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, in charge of Economic Growth and Infrastructure, said: “Some of our key priorities are to support employment and entrepreneurship across our economy and to develop infrastructure to allow businesses to grow.

“As I reflect on the past year, I realise just how much we have achieved, which is making a positive impact on people’s lives in Essex. We are supporting businesses in so many ways, as highlighted in our Essex Means Business campaign, which showcases innovation, skills and entrepreneurship in the county.

“We will continue to support businesses and the Essex economy in 2015, when we will see projects, such as the Harlow Enterprise Zone, grow.”

Achievements this year include working with partners to secure Assisted Area Status and Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) status in Tendring, both of which should bring new investment and jobs to the district.

Essex County Council has either part-funded or secured money for other projects to breathe life into the economy all over the county. These include: • The Colchester Northern Gateway, an employment area which could lead to up to 3,000 jobs in the low carbon energy sector.

• Colchester Creative Business Centre, where a £1.5 million grant secured for the centre could lead to 89 jobs.

• Securing £2.5 million to invest in Harlow to develop a MedTech Innovation Centre.

• Over £1 million for funding projects in Braintree including Springwood Drive employment start-up units, extending the town centre regeneration and Industrial Estate Improvement schemes in Braintree, Witham and Halstead.

• The Supply Chain Innovation and Excellence project, reviewing the wheel and tyre assembly supply chain in Basildon.

Essex County Council’s economic growth teams have helped to create or retain over 1,400 jobs this year in inward investment projects such as the M25 Business Centre, in Waltham Forest, which opened in the summer to provide a top-class base for 160 jobs.

The Council’s Access to Finance roadshows have helped Essex businesses secure over £250,000 in funding.

Links with Jiangsu, were formalised during a visit to Essex from Governor Li Xueyong in October. Essex International, the Council’s international trading arm, has provided significant assistance for 24 Essex businesses who wish to trade with China. It has also helped set up training programmes for the Jiangsu Law Commission and Fire Service and received delegations from China, introducing them to businesses in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

Essex County Council opened two new bypasses this year, the Stanway bypass in Colchester, and the North West Great Dunmow bypass. It is working with partners for a new railway station, Beaulieu Park, in north east Chelmsford.

The Council is a powerful force in lobbying the Government for improvements to the County’s infrastructure. Recent successes include schemes to make the A12 three lanes from the M25 to north of Colchester and upgrading Junction 7 on the M11.