Mayoral election ‘must not overshadow’ the Midlands Engine
IT is vital the work carried out so far by the Midlands Engine and West Midlands Combined Authority continues and is not overshadowed by the forthcoming mayoral elections, business leaders in Birmingham have said.
The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce said the election were still eight months away and so there was time to ensure there was a constructive campaign without any risk to the region’s stuttering economy.
Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “The mayoral election will have an eight-month campaign which will give us plenty of time to have a constructive debate with all candidates.
“However, it is imperative that all of the good work carried out by the Midlands Engine and West Midlands Combined Authority continues apace and is not distraction by the mayoral campaign.”
His comments follow the decision by Andy Street to step down from the chairmanship of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership in order to pursue the nomination to be the Conservative’s candidate in the mayoral election.
The chamber said Mr Street, who retains his role as managing director of the John Lewis Partnership until the outcome of the Conservative selection process is known, had been an “outstanding ambassador” for the region in his six years with the LEP.
Mr Faulkner said: “Andy Street is a consummate businessman as 10 successful years as managing directing of John Lewis bear testimony. Andy has overseen a 67% increase in sales at the department store chain – to £3.7bn last year – since he became managing director in 2007.
“And during his time at GBSLEP he has helped to unite and guide the region through some difficult times.”
The chamber gave Mr Street its President’s Award at this year’s annual dinner, 12 months after he was the event’s guest speaker.
“His words then demonstrated the passion he has for Greater Birmingham when he said: ‘Now is our time – we have to seize the moment and be ambitious’,” said Mr Faulkner.
“That could well be Andy’s parting legacy as chairman of the GBSLEP.”
Mr Faulkner said he hoped that between now and next May there would would be plenty of time to have a constructive debate with all candidates in the election.
So far, only two candidates are known for definite – Labour MEP Sion Simon and Birmingham City University director Beverley Nielsen for the Liberal Democrats.
The Conservatives will select their candidate at the end of this month and they will be invited to speak from the main stage at the party’s annual conference at the ICC on October 2.
