HUNDREDS of new jobs and training opportunities have been created in Fenland over the past year as a result of cooperation between Fenland District Council, employers and other agencies.

The good news was delivered to last week’s full council meeting by Councillor Chris Seaton, FDC’s portfolio holder responsible for economic and business development.

“During the past 12 months the council has actively engaged with 28 substantial employers and investors regarding job creation and investment,” he said.

Work with six of them had brought 435 jobs into the area, including about 300 at Morrisons.

Cllr Seaton highlighted the “exciting plans” that had been brought forward for a new horticultural skills centre at Delamore in Wisbech St Mary, similar to the very successful Fenland Engineerring Skills Centre (FESC) at Metalcraft in Chatteris.

The council had also helped to launch the Fenland Enterprise in Education (FEE) programme to promote closer links between schools and business, opened the Enterprise Park at South Fens and confirmed its �1.5million investment in skills and training at the College of West Anglia in Wisbech.

Meanwhile, he said that councillors and council officers were working hard to promote Fenland and raise its profile both nationally and internationally.

They had attended five major trade fairs and were continuing to develop close links with a range of organisations, including UK Trade and Investments, the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership and Jobcentre Plus.