The Herefordshire Business Growth Board has held its first face-to-face meeting.
The new Board, which replaces the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, will play a leading role in driving the economy, supporting business growth, promoting innovation and collaboration and being a champion for inward investment in Herefordshire.
The key objectives of the board include:
- Influencing and shaping the county economy and ensuring the needs and perspectives of the private sector are reflected
- Supporting business growth through collaboration with initiatives like the Herefordshire Growth Hub and helping direct the delivery of grant funding such as UK Shared Prosperity and Rural Prosperity funding
- Being a champion of inward investment by identifying and promoting opportunities
- Creating platforms for business leaders to contribute to innovative thinking and policy development
The board will meet six times a year with members serving an initial term of two years.
Cllr Graham Biggs, Cabinet Member Economy and Growth, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be working as part of the Herefordshire Business Growth Board, which will be a key driver of our local economy for years to come, helping to ensure Herefordshire remains a great place to live, work, visit and study.
“As part of the Board, we will help identify and overcome barriers to growth and provide opportunities for the future, reflecting our county’s Herefordshire's full diverse business community, and work to cultivate a robust working partnership between the public and private sectors.”
Adrian Speller, Board member and Managing Director of Speller Metcalfe, said: “I’m excited to join the Herefordshire Business Growth Board. I look forward to driving the ability for business to grow and prosper within the county, attracting new business and skilled workers, identifying barriers to growth and capitalising on opportunities. I am extremely passionate in promoting Herefordshire due to the excellent quality of life, its welcoming people and stunning natural environs.
“I have been fortunate enough to have led the design and construction of several key capital projects in the county over the last decade, including: NMITE Skylon Park Campus; West Midlands Centre for Cyber Security; Hereford Hospital Elective Surgical Hub; St Michael’s Hospice; and Ledbury Masters House. It gives me an immense sense of pride to deliver projects in the county, especially where the organisations inhabiting these building will be catalysts for long-term sustainable prosperity.”
More information on the Herefordshire Business Growth Board, including biographies of each of the members, can be found on our website.