David Parkin wonders if the future of Leeds and Partners could involve the Chuckle Brothers

MY comments about departing Leeds and Partners chief executive Lurene Joseph a couple of weeks ago created plenty of comments.
And for the first time that I can remember, I didn’t receive any negative comments about something I wrote.
It appears that plenty of people shared my view but didn’t say it. In fact one senior figure in the city region walked up to me at an event last week and said: “It’s a good thing you weren’t at the Leeds Chamber of Commerce lunch the other day, I wouldn’t have been able to shake your hand and congratulate you!”
One person who didn’t hide their disdain for Lurene was Freeserve founder Ajaz Ahmed.
After being told she would like to meet him soon after her appointment, her PA put a date in the diary three months ahead. He made some critical comments about Leeds and Partners in the media and lo and behold a meeting was fixed within a couple of days.
At that meeting Ajaz challenged her for using too much public sector jargon and said her response was to start talking to him like he was a small child.
Needless to say the two never became friends on Facebook.
Ajaz attended the Leeds and Partners “stakeholder” event last month and challenged the organisation’s target of making the Leeds city region a “fin tech” hub.
He said he’d never heard it used before and reckons that when he asked them to explain it they struggled to say what it means.
What happens next with Leeds and Partners is anybody’s guess. Will the city council look to bring it in house? Will its responsibilities be divvied up between the Leeds City Region LEP and Welcome to Yorkshire?
Or will it look to recruit another chief executive and carry on regardless?
I always remember Lurene bandying about her close contacts with the Mayor of London. In fact you could have played “Boris bingo” in any meeting you went into with her.
But in her entire time at Leeds and Partners I don’t believe BoJo ever visited the city or received Leeds city leaders in London.
I might throw my CV into the ring to replace her. I have all the big names and numbers in my contacts book, starting with a very close relationship with comedy legends The Chuckle Brothers. 
From me to you…
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