Moray

Moray is one of the 32 council areas that make up the Scottish government. Location: North-East Scotland; Moray Firth coastline; borders Aberdeenshire and Highland council areas.

Moray, with the same borders, was a district of the Grampian Region from 1975 to 1996.

History

Named after the Celtic words for "sea" (cf. Welsh "môr-tref") and "settlement" (cf. Latin "Morauia"), it was first recorded as Moreb in the year 970 and had been Latinized to "Morauia" by the year 1124.

The medieval Province of Moray included much of what is now Highland and Aberdeenshire in addition to the present-day council area. This could have been a time when Moray was either a completely separate kingdom or a highly autonomous vassal state of Alba. After a conflict with engus of Moray in the early 12th century, David I of Scotland ultimately defeated Moray and handed control of the region to William fitz Duncan.

After that, no one bore the title of Earl of Moray again until Thomas Randolph in the 14th century. The earldom died out and was resurrected four times, with the current holder being John Douglas Stuart, the 21st Earl of Moray. Through the centuries, Moray County's territory shrank until it was centered on the city of Elgin.

The Moray Council area was established in 1975 after a reorganization of local government in Scotland that was mandated by the Local Government (Scotland) Act of 1973. Prior to the abolition of regions in 1996 and the establishment of Moray as a unitary authority, this area was a district of the Grampian Region. The majority of the historic county of Banffshire and all of Moray (the latter of which is included in the Highland council area) are included in the council's jurisdiction (the rest is part of the Aberdeenshire council area). The boundaries of the lieutenancy area and the registration county are different from those of the historic county.

Economy

Employment

There were nearly 40,000 people in the labor force in Moray at the time, with roughly 34,000 employed and 6,000 self-employed. Of these 34,000, 11,000 worked in the public sector, a much higher percentage than the UK average (25%) and Scotland (27%). (the RAF personnel are not included in these figures). There are significantly fewer managerial and professional jobs than in Scotland (25% vs. 18%).

Efficacy and progress in the economy

Gross domestic product (GDP) in Moray was £1.26 billion that year. This equates to a gross domestic product of £14,500 per person, which is 6% lower than the Scottish average and 12% lower than the UK average.

The diagrams highlight the economy's reliance on the food and drink sector, specifically the canning, distilling, and biscuit manufacturing sectors. Not to be outdone, the public sector is also extremely important. The food and beverage industry contributed 19% to the total GVA of £1.26 billion, while the Scottish and British contributions were 3% and 2%, respectively. Around nine percent of Scotland's gross value added (GVA) in the food and drink sector is produced in Moray. The tourism, forest products, textiles, and specialized metal working industries are all important ones in which Moray has a larger-than-average share of national markets. Comparatively, the business services sector accounts for 19% of GVA in Scotland and 25% of GVA in the UK, but only 15% of GVA in Moray.

The Moray Economic Partnership launched a tourism strategy in March 2014 with the goal of doubling the £95 million industry over the next decade. The Moray Chamber of Commerce launched a website (morayspeyside.com) in June 2014 to complement the strategy and serve as a hub for tourists.

Earnings

The average income in Moray is significantly lower than the rest of Scotland and the United Kingdom. In 2003, the average weekly wage was £286, which was 16% below the Scottish average and 22% below the British average (these statistics exclude the armed forces). These numbers demonstrate the prevalence of part-time work alongside the scarcity of full-time positions in management and the professions. The percentage of people who leave their home to go to work is high—16%. Sixty-two percent of these people are employed in some capacity in the oil and gas industry, the majority of which is based in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. These workers who commute to other areas of the country are paid more than those who stay in the same place of employment.

Market foundation

About 75% of Moray's VAT-registered businesses in 2004 employed fewer than five people, and roughly half of Moray's businesses had annual revenues of less than £100,000. Small businesses employ 60% of Scotland's workforce, compared to 48% for large corporations.

Many smaller businesses in Moray have direct ties to the economies of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Highland, while the larger ones export their wares to the rest of the United Kingdom and beyond. The nearby cities of Aberdeen and Inverness provide a significant source of revenue for the area's economy, as do the commuting workers who make up a sizable portion of the local population (roughly 5,000 people).