Business manifesto calls for stronger leadership from next regional mayor

Bristol’s business community is calling for strong regional leadership to stimulate growth and investment amid fears the West is being outshone by more ‘high profile’ areas.

With one month to go before people head to the polls to vote for the next metro mayor, a survey has revealed 70 per cent of companies feel the region is losing out to places such as London and Greater Manchester, which each have prominent elected figureheads.

Publishing its findings on Tuesday, Business West launched a manifesto calling for the next mayor of the West of England to step up to the plate, strengthen the region’s profile, secure much-needed investment and help unlock inclusive growth.

Conservative Tim Bowles took up the newly-created metro mayor role in 2017, but he has maintained a low profile throughout his tenure and a majority of the 400 businesses surveyed argue the international profile enjoyed by his counterparts, mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and London mayor Sadiq Khan, have far outshone that of the West.

With Bowles due to stand down on May 6, they want to see the next mayor not only raise the profile of the region to encourage inward investment but also take a leading role in driving development towards net-zero, as well as championing a green recovery.

James Durie, the chief executive of West of England Initiative at Business West, explains: “On behalf of the business community, I’d like to recognise the progress in establishing WECA (the West of England Combined Authority) in the region over the last four years. This has made our local governance more joined up on vital issues like transport, planning and skills, after many years of disjointed political relationships across our area.

“We are calling upon the next West of England mayor to build upon these foundations to accelerate and unlock the delivery of clean and inclusive growth and prosperity.

“As highlighted by the survey, business wants the next mayor to confidently and assertively represent the region’s interests in Westminster and to encourage inward investment from within the UK and overseas, championing the strengths that the Bristol and Bath city region offers.

“Business also wants a mayor that is focused on unlocking areas that hold the region’s growth back and who can deliver against their urgent needs, from skills and employment to housing and employment land.

“We call upon the next West of England mayor to engage with our business communities to create a powerful shared agenda and programme of change and prosperity and to rise to the challenges we face in 2021 and beyond.”

Other priorities highlighted by the business community include transport and digital infrastructure, employment and skills prospects, affordable housing and strategic planning for sustainable land use.

Many of these points will be up for debate at a business and economy-focused hustings, held in association with the Centre for Cities, on April 28.

Main photo by Joab Smith

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