Hartlepool business leaders attend new look economic forum as organisers set out plans for growth

Local business leaders got together to share ideas and their ambitions at the new-look Hartlepool Economic & Business Forum.

New forum chair Simon Corbett, the chief executive of Orangebox Training Solutions, hailed the event a “huge success” and said the forum will work to bring more businesses on board to work together.

He said: “There were some excellent ideas shared from local businesses and people. The feedback we get from this forum will help to take things forward.

“What we have to do is deliver. We have excellent people around us in the steering group, all listening to the requirements and needs, we will now get our heads together and deliver what the local community wants.”

The meeting was held at the the Hartlepool Centre for Independent Living & Community Hub, in Burbank Street.

Those present took part in a group workshop, answering questions designed to get people thinking about how the forum can work to the benefit of everyone in the town.

With 3,200 businesses registered in Hartlepool, forum leaders want to tap into as many of them as possible to grow the forum.

Simon is chair of the forum’s steering group which also includes Gary Riches, Daniel Flounders, Christine Hall, Haani Hasnain and Dr Jo North.

It is hoped the group will be strengthened in the weeks ahead with other business leaders with different areas of expertise.

Simon added: “I am genuinely honoured to be part of this. If we can grow this by having innovative ideas through collaboration then I’m confident we will build a stronger and more resilient local business community together.

“We aren’t looking to be bigger than other local networking groups out there, we just want to support by helping local businesses achieve their goals.”

Businesses were also reminded to fill in an annual survey currently running to help find out what challenges they face and how the forum can help them.

Simon said: “We received some really good answers to the questions we posed to everyone in the room.

“Now we want to hear more views from the survey because we know there are lots of questions out there.”

The survey can be found online at https://yoursay.hartlepool.gov.uk/hartlepool-annual-business-survey