Blackburn to head Greater Manchester LEP

MIKE Blackburn, BT’s regional director for the North West, has been named as the chairman of the new Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership.

Blackburn will lead a board of nine private sector and four local authority representatives.
 
The remaining eight private sector board positions will be also announced shortly. All appointments were subject to an open recruitment process overseen by the Shadow LEP – a temporary body created by AGMA to oversee the transition once the announcement regarding the scrapping of the regional development agencies was made last year.

The four local authority positions will be filled by the chair, Lord Peter Smith and the three vice-chairs of AGMA, Sir Richard Leese, Cllr Howard Sykes and Cllr Bob Bibby respectively.

The LEP’s board will seek to pick up many of the activities of the former North West Regional Development Agency, but without its considerable budget. It will be responsible for co-ordinating many of the local bids for assistance from the Government’s £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund, as well as shaping economic strategy.

Blackburn said: “I’m honoured to take the helm of the GM LEP at such an important time for the city.

“The creation of the GM LEP has been a swift and positive process and is testament to the strong sense of partnership working already in place across Greater Manchester. I look forward to finalising the remaining private sector board positions in conjunction with the AGMA Executive and getting down to business.”
 
Lord Peter Smith said: “Mike is a respected businessmen in the North West and adds great stature and leadership to this board.  He has already demonstrated his passion for the region and has been active in shaping Manchester for some time.”