A NEW blueprint has been produced to spell out how Worcestershire must develop between now and 2040 - in the hope tomorrow's generation will make their livelihoods here.

Worcestershire County Council's new dossier, called 'Next Generation', aims to pull together a raft of targets for 2020 and 2040 to ensure it can compete as a place to live, work and play.

The 50-page document, which is largely abstract in its approach, states:

- Worcestershire's towns, from Malvern to Worcester to Kidderminster, must develop as "social centres" offering much more than just retail in order to be successful

- By 2020 access to the internet must be "universal", in order words everyone should be able to use it regardless of income, location, age or background

- By 2020 there must be less pressure on housing, with lower demand and lower waiting lists, a "dramatic" reduction in carbon emissions and less household waste being produced

- Worcestershire must build on its marketability for "rural Englishness", with the report saying the county must never try and become the "rock and roll, thrusting financial hub" of the Midlands

- The county's working-age population will decline by 7,400 people, around two per cent, by 2035 compared to growth of nine per cent nationally, resulting in more demands on services but less people paying into them

- The solution to capitalising on that must be the creation of better high-tech jobs for those in work, such as at Malvern Hills Science Park and Worcester Technology Park, and embracing the elderly including making more use of their manpower and resources

- Up-skilling the workforce is therefore vital, with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire cited as counties Worcestershire should aspire to for prosperity

- The education sector in Worcestershire should be fairly considered "world class" by 2020

It also talks of the county's central UK location, saying the council will proactively support any ideas to improve transport links across the region, across different boundaries and to London as well as the south, east, west and north.

It also cites "transforming" relationships with the finance community, in other words the entire financial sector, to make Worcestershire an even more popular place to start small businesses and relocate or grow existing ones.

A list of 25 commitments includes taking regard of flooding risks when planning new developments, actively supporting wildlife and green spaces, helping green businesses grow in particular, and focusing relentlessly on creating extra jobs.

The report has been endorsed by councillors despite some disagreement, which means it will be available to guide new policy.

Opposition Labour Councillor Graham Vickery said: "There's a lot in the document which is pretty obvious - it seems to continue the county council policy of doing as little as possible and passing the buck to somebody else."

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "What annoys me is that these reports are meaningless, it won't happen.

"People don't want to live 25 years into the future they want to live now, the Tories say 'we've listened to young people' but what they need is youth provision right now and they haven't got it.

"They say they won't ignore the elderly, but they are being ignored here and now."

But Councillor John Campion, cabinet member for transformation and change, said: "I wholeheartedly support this piece of work - it's often hard for politics to get beyond the immediate but when we speak to young people, they want to look long term.

"They want to understand the big key things that will make this county a place they want to live and work in."

Tory Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader, said: "We must relentlessly look to the future and this is a start, a thinking piece."

He added: "One of the reasons we did this is because counties that have done really well have had over-arching strategies.

"Cambridge did one because at one time there the university didn't talk to businesses, and the council talked to pretty much nobody - we need all our fishes in the river to be swimming in the same direction.

"I suspect we may not get political agreement cross-party, but I hope we can all support the thrust of this - we are at the heart of the country which does pose a challenge, but it also gives us great opportunities."

* To read the full report, visit www.wearethenextgeneration.co.uk