Marches LEP conference event to examine business challenges

The challenges facing businesses in The Marches will be discussed at a major event in April as the region plays its part in the growth of the Midlands Engine.

Representatives from across a range of industry sectors will gather to discuss how the issues of connectivity and productivity can be tackled. And they’ll also hear how businesses in the region are facing the challenges head on to break down the barriers to growth.
The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership’s Annual Conference will be held on April 27 2016 at Ludlow Racecourse, where the partnership will also launch its annual report.
Chairman of the Marches LEP, Graham Wynn OBE, said: “The Marches LEP is the organisation tasked with driving economic growth in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
“As part of that, we are very much a part of developing the Midlands Engine – a long term strategy which aims to create 300,000 extra jobs across our wider region, put skills at the heart of our economic revival and deliver billions of investment into new transport infrastructure.
“But we need to break down the barriers to growth which Marches businesses face if we are to succeed in our ambitions both here, and in the wider Midlands region. Good broadband and mobile connectivity has been identified by our business community as a top priority in enabling them to do business efficiently, to access new customers and to compete and grow within a global market.
“We also know that getting the right people, with the right experience and the right qualifications is an over-riding concern of many of our businesses, particularly our large employers and manufacturing sector companies.
“How we address this, and how our business community are tackling the skills issue, will be key to the future productivity and growth of our region. If we can create a skilled workforce, we will keep and attract investment in our region and in turn, create more sustainable private sector jobs.
“Our annual conference is also a chance for us to actively engage with businesses in the programme of work we are tasked with to develop the economy on their behalf, and on behalf of everyone who lives and works here.”
As well as a panel discussion, the conference will hear more about the Marches LEP’s vision for economic growth, its progress so far and more on how the region is working alongside other East and West Midlands LEPs as part of the Midlands Engine.
More details on guest speakers are expected to be announced next month.