Coventry and Warwickshire LEP board finalised
The 12 members of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP board have been revealed after the first leaders’ and stakeholders’ meeting. The board includes five public sector and five private sector members as well as two university representatives. Daniel Gidney, the chief executive of the Ricoh Arena, and Sir Peter Rigby are among the private sector names taking places on the board.
About 150 business people attended the first leaders’ and stakeholders’ meeting of the enterprise partnership, which will in part replace regional development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM) when it is abolished in 2012.
The five private sector representatives include the chairman of the board, Denys Shortt, chief executive and founder of Stratford-based DCS Europe. He will be joined by Sir Peter Rigby, chief executive of the SCC Group; Daniel Gidney, chief executive of the Ricoh Arena; director of Jaguar Land Rover Martin Hollingsworth and Derek Parkin, managing director of business services at E.On.
They will sit alongside five public sector representatives including Coventry City Council members John Mutton and Linda Bigham, Warwickshire County Council members Alan Farnell and Alan Cockburn, and the leader of Rugby Borough Council Craig Humphrey.
John Latham, deputy vice-chancellor at Coventry University, and Nigel Thrift, vice-chancellor at the University of Warwick, complete the 12-member panel.
Shortt, the new LEP chairman, said that private sector involvement would be “key” in the success of the organisation.
He said: “It was a fantastic turnout which only underlined just how keen the business community is to help shape and influence the local economy.
“This LEP is about growth, jobs and wealth creation in Coventry and Warwickshire and it is a real chance for us to drive those three elements forward for the benefit of everyone in the area.
“The chamber, the FSB and others have done a great job is getting our LEP through Government approval, but now business has to show its mettle, and to have a 150 businesses turnout really is a storming start.
“We are still in very early days and we know that we have to make a real difference to keep businesses engaged and that is what we intend to do.
Shortt added that he had asked anyone who is interested in being involved in the LEP to “put their top five ideas or issues on a single side of paper and to send it to us”.
The meeting heard that the board is likely to form up to 20 groups to look at subjects including finance, automotive, tourism, planning, hi-tech manufacturing and skills.
Bruce Undy, from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “It was clear from the meeting that the business community feels things can be achieved across the board and there was certainly no shortage of interest and opinion.
“Both the FSB and the chamber of commerce are committed to ensuring that businesses feel a part of the LEP development and will be holding regular events that allow a two way dialogue between the LEP board and the wider business community.”
Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi and West Midlands MEP Malcolm Harbour also pledged their ongoing support for the LEP.
Louise Bennett, the chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber, said: “While the LEP is still very much at its embryonic stage, it is clear to see the enthusiasm there is from the private sector for driving the economy forward and that is very exciting.
“The government has stressed that is wants the private sector driving LEPs and this meeting alone shows that the appetite to do that is very much there.
“It is key now that we harness all the good ideas which have been expressed, and I think we have the high-calibre board to do just that.”
