Industry bodies vie for place on new Lep board following appointment of chair
The race is on to fill the six available positions on Cambridge’s local enterprise partnership following the appointment of Neville Reyner, president of the British Chamber of Commerce, as its inaugural chair.
Different industry groups are already vying for one of six private sector positions on the board of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Lep (the Enterprise Partnership), which will be chosen by Reyner.
It is understood that a large amount of interest has already been shown in the industry board positions, including from the National Federation of Builders, the NFU and the Federation of Small Businesses and Cambridge Network.
The local enterprise partnerships (Leps) are an initiative by the coalition government that effectively sees the replacement of the government run regional development agencies with a collaboration between the private and public sectors, though the exact remit of the Leps is still unclear.
There are 14 positions available in total on the board including the chair. The other seven consist of five local authority representatives, one higher education or further education representative and one volunteer or social enterprise representative.
Reyner, also chairman of hi-tech electronics supplier, Anglia Components in Wisbech, and former UK vice president of Mitsubishi Electric Europe, is tasked with setting the strategic course of the Enterprise Partnership including trying to finalise a definite remit.
According to the Anglia Components web site, Reyner also took Mitsubishi Semiconductor in the UK & Ireland from start-up, to a company worth over £150 million in 15 years.
“The Enterprise Partnership is a brand new entity, which we will have to create afresh”, said Reyner. “I recognise, however, that this is going to be a challenging role because we are in unchartered territory.
"Our area, with its diverse and growing economy, and its wealth of globally competitive cluster, is one of the most important in the UK. Achieving our economic potential will be critical for the Government in terms of driving overall economic growth and recovery for the UK. I look forward to starting work in earnest on this project from 1st March 2011."
Potential board members have until the 25th February to apply. More information is available at www.yourlocalenterprisepartnership.co.uk
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