The successes of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and its future ambitions were showcased at the organisation’s 2015 Annual Conference and AGM today (Tuesday July 14).
Around 150 people attended the business breakfast event at Chesterfield FC’s Proact Stadium, in Chesterfield, this morning, from 7.30am to 10am (pictured below).
Delegates included representatives from business, local authorities, education and training providers, community and voluntary groups, central government and many other organisations.
D2N2 is a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) promoting economic growth and jobs creation across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It is a private-sector led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary groups.
Each year it holds a free Annual Conference, to update those across its catchment on its work over the previous 12 months and discuss its future ambitions.
Guest speakers at today’s Conference were Trevor Williams, Chief Economist for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and Visiting Professor at the University of Derby’s Business School, who spoke about future UK business and productivity growth, in light of last week’s (July 8) Chancellor’s Budget.
Christopher Barnatt – Futurist, author, and Associate Professor of Strategy and Future Studies at Nottingham University Business School – then spoke about likely business challenges over the next decades, as energy and resources become more scarce and expensive.
D2N2 Chief Executive David Ralph told his audience of the LEP’s successes over the last 12 months; including the announcement in March (2015) of £214million in European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) to finance a range of business, entrepreneurship, employment, skills, low carbon and social exclusion projects in the area, up to 2020. A new D2N2 video showcasing highlights of the LEP’s last year was shown to delegates and can be seen HERE.
David also stressed the importance of greater collaboration between partners in the D2N2 area and of it having the right “business plan” for its ambitions.
Peter Richardson, D2N2 LEP Chairman, stressed to his audience that the LEP was there to work for all sectors, both city and rural parts; and would be doing so particularly when lobbying for devolution for the D2N2 area, for it to have greater say in determining its own direction.
A Business Question-and-Answer Panel – including David, Christopher, Trevor, and Kathy McArdle, Chief Executive Officer for Nottingham’s Creative Quarter and Sector Lead for D2N2 on the Creative Industries – was chaired by Derby Telegraph Editor-in-Chief, Neil White. It answered questions including on employment, housing and what ‘unbreakable’ promise they’d extract from Chancellor George Osborne?
A new Employability Framework initiative, to get skills and training providers (such as schools and colleges) and businesses to work more closely together on helping learners become ‘work ready’, was launched at the Conference. For more information see web link www.d2n2lep.org/Skills/Employability-Framework
Today’s Conference delegates also received a copy of D2N2’s new 2014/15 Annual Review, giving key facts and figures about the LEP’s work.
Media wanting further information about this news release can contact Sean Kirby, Communications Officer, on the D2N2 Newsdesk, on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
