Regional Minister Beverly Hughes is to bring together key players from the public and private sectors to fight the North West’s corner during the economic downturn.
The Joint Economic Commission for the North West, comprising members of the North West Development Agency, volunteer sector and trades unions, will meet frequently for the immediate future to ensure that the region acts as one in protecting families and businesses.
At this stage, there’s no information on whether the Commission has a specific agenda that will target areas such as Morecambe or Lancaster specifically and try and deal with any recession-caused problems unique to our commuity.
“This is a global problem but it is increasingly being felt at neighbourhood level and by families,” Beverly Hughes, also MP for Stretford & Urmston, commented. “As Regional Minister, I want to make sure that the key partners are doing all they can to ensure that the North West economy emerges from the current downturn stronger than before
“We will be looking at ways in which the public and private sectors can help individually and jointly. For instance, that might be looking at ways we can bring forward big infrastructure projects. Or it might be greater support for small businesses struggling to get access to finance in order to protect jobs”
“There has been tremendous enthusiasm for the idea and that in itself speaks volumes for the spirit of cooperation which exists among the key players in the North West.”
The Commission, which will meet for the first time in early November, will bring together business leaders, local authorities, Government Office for the North West, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and public agencies like Jobcentre Plus, the Learning and Skills
Council, the Strategic Health Authority, the Highways Agency and the fledgling Homes and Communities Agency.
The Commission was announced as the Regional Minister met officials from the Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government and business leaders at a breakfast meeting in City Tower.
This looked at ways in which Government can support economic development in the region.
The Minister also sits on the Regional Economic Council in Westminster. This enables Regional Ministers to report back to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform on the effects of the downturn in their regions.
The Regional Economic Council, which meets quarterly, brings together Regional Ministers, chairs of Regional Development Agencies and representatives of business and trades unions. It is chaired by the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Its purpose is to ensure that the issues and concerns of each region are heard and acted upon. It supports the National Economic Council which coordinates economic activity across
Government.