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'Confusion' over region's identity
THE man at the helm of a job creation agency said Hartlepool's economy can only benefit from the area securing regeneration partnership status.
The Tees Valley is one of only 24 areas around the country to be named as a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), giving it greater responsibility in areas such as housing, planning, local transport, employment, enterprise and supporting the transition to a low carbon economy.
Speaking at a briefing in Hartlepool, Stephen Catchpole, the managing director of Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU), said it is vital the organisation has the support of the business community in order to maximise the region's potential, create new jobs and boost the economy.
But concerns were raised at the meeting that the uncertainty over the region's identity – which is known as Cleveland, Tees Valley and Teesside – can lead to confusion.
Sir John Hall, the man who restored Wynyard Hall, near Hartlepool, to its former glory, said: "I have lived here for 27 years and we have had Cleveland County Council, Teesside and Tees Valley. Can we finally make our minds up? It causes confusion and if we don't know who we are then how can the visitors know.
"Why can't we come together to see who we are as a district?"
Mr Catchpole noted the concerns and said there was sometimes a need for "different brands for the right audience".
TVU is leading the LEP on behalf of the area and part of the task includes a bid to clinch money from the first round of the Government's new regional growth fund, a 1.4bn fund available for projects and programmes across the country over the next three years.
Mr Catchpole, who held the briefing at the civic centre, said: "The aim is to improve the economy throughout the whole of the Tees Valley and if that improves then Hartlepool's economy will clearly benefit.
"We want to work with businesses in Hartlepool, and the rest of the region, to put them in a position to take more people on and to see what the barriers to growth are and how we can help tackle them."
He added that it was important the private sector had the confidence to invest and create more jobs and that TVU is keen to help businesses thinking of applying to the fund in round one, which closes on January 21. Further details of how many bids have been submitted are expected to be announced in early January.
TVU is a partnership between the five Tees Valley councils, regional regeneration bodies and business leaders.
Hundreds of people attended a series of briefings across the region to give businesses and representatives from the education, financial and voluntary sectors the chance to learn more about the LEP.
Mr Catchpole added: "This is a challenging but exciting time for this area and if we're to build on the solid foundations already in place, we have to work together. That means being an open and transparent organisation which businesses want to work with. The briefings we've held over the last few weeks have enabled us to be just that."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Sunday 27 May 2012
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