The importance of a strong regional voice for business is paramount

Author
Ian Mean
Director of Business West Gloucestershire | Business West
11th October 2023

Forgive me if I missed it  but business and the subject of business was not in any sort of poll position at the Conservative conference last week.

And as I write this at the start of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool this week, I am hopeful that the voice of business gets a better hearing.

Doesn’t the strength and importance of business in the South West give us just a mention away from the government’s continual obsession of talking up the North?

Don’t we deserve that?

That’s why I welcome a new alliance of six leading employers’ groups, including Business West, to create a strong regional voice to strengthen co-operation and drive good growth across different parts of the country.

I echo the thoughts of Business West’s Managing Director, Phil Smith, who says:

“UK PLC needs all cylinders of its engine working in concert.

“This alliance of regional private sector groups can work with our publicly elected bodies and public private partnerships, for example the Western Gateway, to strengthen our approach to developing economic benefits for the whole of the country.

“Devolution will be a central plank of any future government’s approach to growth and harnessing the insights and power of the private sector is vital to maximising its potential”.

The alliance will work together to leverage each region’s particular strengths.

It will be chaired by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, and apart from Business West, it also includes BusinessLDN, Business South, Cambridge Ahead and the North West Business Leadership Teams.

A key focus for this new business alliance will be driving place-based economic strategy to boost regional productivity and good growth, including strengthening innovation, spatial planning and foreign direct investment.

Our local MPs here in Gloucestershire, and national politicians, must realise that the strength of our regional voice for business is so very important.

As GFirstLEP is integrated into Gloucestershire County Council, we are determined that the strength of the local business voice in the county is not lost.

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