With figures from politics, business and regeneration agencies at last year's jobs summit, Wear Valley District Council set out its aims for the area. Catherine Jewitt looks back at the wish list - to see what progress has been made.

WISH - Tier 1 Assisted Area Status for the entire district to encourage business investment

REALITY - Wear Valley District Council, Wear Valley Local Strategic Partnership and Durham County Council continue to lobby for this and spearhead grant applications for the district.

WISH - Seek Enterprise Zone status to increase funding opportunities

REALITY - A Government review means no more Enterprise Zones are being designated. Alternative funding schemes have been devised including new financial incentives packages ran by WVDC.

WISH - Pro-active transport strategy, and investment in road network as identified in the County Durham Economic Strategy

REALITY - A rural transport co-ordinator, Steve Day, has been appointed. WVDC's director of regeneration Bob Hope and Councillor Alan Townsend are on the County Durham Economic Partnership to lobby on the issue. Work is underway on the £2.5m Crook by-pass. West Auckland's £5m bypass has hit a planning hurdle but is still expected to go ahead

REALITY - Support re-opening of the Weardale Heritage Railway. The first stage of the line, between Stanhope and Wolsingham, is to open on July 17.

WISH - Investment into the physical infrastructure for business and property upgrades.

REALITY - Consultants are investigating possible improvements to commercial property in Bishop Auckland and sites across the district.

WISH - New quality premises

REALITY - Innovation House near Bishop Auckland is open and an extension planned for next year. Extra 10,000 sq ft office accommodation to be created in Low Willington by March 2005, 20,000 sq ft of exclusive office space at Bracks Farm by March 2007

There are proposals to develop a new business park in Wolsingham.

WISH - Broadband access throughout district

REALITY - One NorthEast and BT are upgrading all telephone exchanges to enable broadband access by the end of February 2005. Publicly owned broadband consortium DurhamNET are putting nodes and "last mile" coverage in place for areas outside the scope of standard lines. WeardaleNET is developing community access points, Durham Dales Centre, Stanhope, is now live.

WISH - Implementation of special projects including Eastgate Renewable Energy Centre

REALITY - Site test due this summer to confirm whether the site has the potential to create a unique renewable energy village with housing, business units and tourist attractions creating an estimated 90,000 visitors and 173 jobs over next ten years.

WISH - Action Team for Jobs

REALITY - This Government-backed jobs team was established in Wear Valley in late April. Based in Bishop Auckland its advisors run sessions in community centre across the district offering job hunters advice and training to secure new careers. The JobCentre has increased its support of the district, holding job shops for redundant workers and finding staff for new businesses.

WISH - New ways to tackle basic skills and educational attainment

REALITY - The Local Strategic Partnership has formed an education thematic group to develop ways of maximising ICT skills and learning and efforts are ongoing.

WISH - Develop a rural bureau for integrated business support

REALITY - Durham County Council is advancing a rural bureau to promote a "can do"' culture. Wear Valley Development Agency's Dales business advisor Austin Stenhouse is working with rural companies trying to improve, diversify and become more competitive.

WISH - Develop extra funding sources

REALITY - Shop front schemes have being completed in Stanhope through a Market Town Initiative. An extra £1.7m of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund has been secured for the next financial year to address rural productivity and women's health issues.