New Drive for Businesses to Help Shape Tees Valley’s Future

Tees Valley Combined Authority | Published on: 3rd September 2018

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen is calling on ambitious members of the local business community to help deliver economic transformation across the region.

Mayor Houchen is leading a fresh drive for visionary representatives from companies in our area to join the Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) board and ensure an active and diverse group which reflects our breadth of businesses and professionals.

The LEP, chaired by former Sabic Chairman Paul Booth OBE, works closely with the wider business community and other partners to drive forward economic growth and job creation in the area. It works in partnership with Mayor Houchen, the Tees Valley Combined Authority, and the five Council Leaders.

Tees Valley LEP was described as “a fantastic example of public-private sector partnership, the strongest and most ambitious in the country” by Paul Drechsler CBE, Vice-President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Chancellor of Teesside University.

Now Mayor Houchen wants representatives of equal commitment to sign up to help promote the economic growth of the region, in particular from the small and medium-sized enterprise community.

Those appointed to the LEP board would work to:

  • Support and offer advice to the Mayor and the Combined Authority
  • Champion and promote specific initiatives from the perspective of business
  • Represent the SME community
  • Represent the Tees Valley nationally and internationally
  • Ensure a strong voice in decision-making
  • Help deliver the Combined Authority’s Strategic Economic Plan
  • Help prepare and deliver the Tees Valley Local Industrial Strategy

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I want business leaders to be involved in every decision we make. They’re the people who are investing, employing, training and exporting in the Tees Valley, and I need their help to deliver even more jobs for local people.

“We have many top-quality businesses that are the lifeblood of the Tees Valley, proudly calling it their home. We want to repay their commitment to our region by understanding their needs. The most effective way to do that is get them around the table, helping to shape our plans.”

Tees Valley LEP Chair Paul Booth said: “The Tees Valley LEP is going from strength to strength and over the past year we’ve made significant progress in driving locally-led economic development.

“We have a fantastic team who are committed to our area, but I know we can do even better. I’d ask senior members of businesses who feel that they, or the work they do, adds real value to Tees Valley to put themselves forward and help create the most diverse, representative LEP yet.”

Angela Howey, Head of Consumer at EE, was appointed to the Tees Valley LEP last year. She said: “This is a terrific group of people who are making important decisions that directly impact the region but it would be great to increase diversity with, among other things, a more equal gender split.

“I’d love to see more women in business stepping up to join the LEP to help boost growth for us all.”

To find out more or apply, click here.

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