Mayor launches ‘growth commission’ for £4bn funding pot
The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, is launching an Inclusive Growth Commission – a body which will identify how the region can “harness major opportunities” and “tackle its challenges”.
The Commission will recommend upon how the East Midlands Combined County Authority invests a £4bn funding pot across Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Ward and council leaders across the region have appointed the RSA (Royal Society of Arts) to run the Commission.
It will be chaired by the RSA’s chief executive, Andy Haldane – the former chief economist of the Bank of England – who will be joined by a team including Sir John Peace, chairman of the Midlands Engine and one of the founders of the Nottingham-based Experian, and Gillian Sewell, the CEO of YMCA Derbyshire.
Other commissioners include Dr Andy Haynes, senior Nottinghamshire healthcare leader; Marvin Rees, former Mayor of Bristol City; Dame Julia Cleverdon, former CEO of Business in the Community; and Sarah Gordon, former business editor at the Financial Times.
They will spend the coming few months talking to communities, businesses, councils and major regional institutions to find out what people think about the region and its potential.
The Inclusive Growth Commission will release an initial report next Spring, which sets out the current picture in the East Midlands, and a final report next Autumn.
Ward said: “Inclusive growth means creating opportunities for all — good jobs, quality education, and thriving local economies that work for every single resident. It’s about ensuring no one is left behind as we build a prosperous, sustainable future.
“Whether you live in one of our vibrant cities or a rural town or village, this will make a real difference to how we lift our region.
“I’m proud to have put together this ambitious commission, and together, we will make the East Midlands the best place to live, work, and learn.”
Haldane said: “I am excited to be chairing this new commission which has the potential to unlock tens of millions in growth across this dynamic region. By taking a fresh look at the many opportunities underpinning the East Midlands economy, we will seek to supercharge the region, bolster job opportunities, and make progress towards net zero.
“At the RSA, our Design for Life mission draws on the ingenuity and interconnectedness of communities and local leaders around the country- not least through our Prosperous Places work. I look forward to seeing that come to life in the year ahead.”
Peace said: “I know from my own experience that the East Midlands is a place that can lead the world. It is brimming with inventive spirit, and has a long tradition of taking new ideas and turning them into innovations that change people’s lives.
“But we can do better. We now need to apply that inventive spirit to the challenge of connecting more of our communities to prosperity and I’m delighted to be joining the Inclusive Growth Commission and playing a part in that process.”
Sewell added: “The East Midlands is an outstanding region that has so much to offer and be proud of.
“We can build on this strong foundation and deliver meaningful benefits by lifting the prosperity of our all our communities whilst supporting the wellbeing of our people.”
