Local Enterprise

Local Enterprise Partnership

·         The Business Launch for our new Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership was held at the Princes Hall at 8 am last Tuesday.  The event was extremely well attended with over 180 delegates and the consensus was that it had been a success. The event was focussed specifically at businesses and, as well as increasing their awareness of the LEP, its main purpose was to identify their priorities for economic growth and to get them to consider nominating representatives to sit on the Board.  The voting on priorities was carried out through an electronic system a little like “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and the results were -

70% of businesses at the conference expected their business to expand over the next two to three years which shows the high levels of confidence in the local economy.

Businesses believe that the most powerful enablers of growth are;

·         getting people with the right skills

·         access to customers and markets nationally

·         initiatives to improve business productivity and efficiency

Businesses believe that the biggest barriers to growth are;

·         a shortage of skills

·         poor broadband speed and availability

·         difficulties in accessing finance

·         red tape.

Say no to AV

Why should the small party supporters get to choose who our MP is? This is a referendum to give more power to minority parties - a dangerous path to tread.

The launch of the No to AV campaign in Rushmoor.

We hear about the Have's - well above is the No Av's

I think that means 'no av' good taste in T-shirts

On a more serious note - this referendum must get a clear NO from residents, it is the slippery slope of taking power from the majority and giving disproportionate power to minority groups. Do we want to see the minority groups playing king maker up and down the country? I have and always will trust the majority to make the right decisions for this country, anything that encourages horse trading and deals with minorities is the politics of the asylum. Which brings me back to the T-Shirts!

Well done to Gareth (Cllr Lyon) on the far left (picture only I might add) my bright young colleague in Empress who is leading the local campaign against AV.