Nominations are now being sought for the permanent chairman of the new ‘Greater Birmingham’ local enterprise partnership.
An advertisment will be published in the New Year outlining a job specification for the role chairing the new organisation set to take over the role of business support following the abolition of Advantage West Midlands.
An interim board, chaired by former Birmingham Chamber president Bridget Blow, is currently establishing the terms of reference for the new LEP, a permanent board for which will be established early next year.
The 15 members of the LEP board, which represents Birmingham and Solihull with Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Tamworth, Bromsgrove and Cannock, will comprise seven business members and seven council members in addition to the chairman.
Ms Blow said: “Research undertaken by the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group across the LEP area has shown high business support and a willingness to get behind and back the LEP’s commitment to becoming the easiest place in Europe in which to set up and run a business.
“Fifty-eight per cent of businesses surveyed claim to understand the role of business within the LEP and 65 per cent say they are actively committed to supporting the LEP.”
Coun Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The political leadership of Birmingham, Solihull, Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth has already worked extremely well together with their colleagues from the business community.
“We have built a powerful and unprecedented partnership, with a strong vision to drive the UK growth agenda.
“As we move to the next stage it is essential that we inspire and capture the imagination of the best business people from across the LEP area and I look forward to working with these business representatives who will make a real difference, in what promises to be a very important partnership.”
Nominations for the role of chairman and business representatives of the Local Enterprise Partnership Development Board should be sent to Bridget Blow, c/o Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group, 75 Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DP.
