Overview
North East Derbyshire presents a diverse economic landscape with significant activities in construction, wholesale and retail trade, professional services, and real estate. The region shows a healthy mix of sectors contributing to its economic dynamism. Despite a lack of initial public offerings (IPOs), the region demonstrates resilience and growth in other areas, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and business scale-ups.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: 18,639 employees. The region has seen a moderate increase in employment, with 134 companies reporting a rise in employee numbers. This suggests steady job creation and business expansion.
- Percentage Employee Growth: 7.15%. This indicates a healthy growth rate, reflecting positive economic conditions and potential for future job opportunities.
- Number of Scale-ups: 29. The presence of scale-up companies signifies a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and the potential for significant future economic contributions.
- Number of Companies: 3,996. A substantial number of active companies indicate a vibrant business environment.
Sector Analysis
- Top Sectors: Construction, retail trade, professional services, real estate, and manufacturing are the leading sectors. Construction leads with 16.04% of companies, followed by retail trade (14.91%) and professional services (14.34%). This diversity suggests a balanced economic structure less susceptible to sector-specific downturns.
- Sectors with Most Growth: Notably, sectors like coal, oil and gas, and other fuel production, although small in number, are on the rise, indicating emerging areas of economic activity.
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: 434 companies have ceased operations. This cessation rate, in the context of new companies and overall active companies, needs to be monitored to gauge the business survival rate and economic resilience.
Gender Diversity in Leadership
- Founders Gender: 20% female, 73.33% male, and 6.67% unknown. This shows a gender gap in entrepreneurship which may require targeted initiatives to encourage female participation.
- Directors Gender: 27.45% female, 69.67% male, and 2.88% unknown. Similar to founders, there is a notable gender disparity in company leadership roles.
Conclusion
North East Derbyshire’s economic health is characterised by a diverse sectoral composition, steady employment growth, and a vibrant SME and scale-up environment. However, the area shows a gender disparity in business leadership and a need for monitoring business continuity. The economic landscape is promising, but requires strategies to ensure sustainable growth and diversity.