Private Sector Partnership Congratulates London but Cautions North West with London Olympic Win
Following London’s successful Olympic 2012 bid many business leaders are upbeat about how the North West will be affected. However, Terry Cook, chairrman of the Private Sector Partners in the North West (PSP) urges caution for the North West. He commented;
“This is excellent news for Great Britain, England and the South East but I’m not so sure it is for the North West, unless we highlight the issues the win raises for the region.
The nation needs to find £4.8 billion to meet the costs of hosting the 2012 Olympics and there is still no clarity on how this will be funded. Capital investment will be needed for the South East and with the recent projected increase in the Cross Rail project costs, this adds to the pressure to move funding south. My fear is that capital investment will stand still until 2013 for the North, jeopardising investment for the second Mersey crossing, the Liverpool and Manchester Metrolink projects and the Barrow Bridge.
There is also the new question about the proposed mass move of BBC jobs to the North West. Two of the five operations moving were sports related; BBC Sports and Radio Five Live. I very much doubt they will move to Manchester now.”
He pointed out; “Manchester ran the Commonwealth Games, the second largest athletics tournament in the World, without a detrimental affect on capital expenditure projects across the nation. Our challenge to the government is to ensure the London 2012 Olympic Games does the same.”
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Private Sector Partners NW Ltd. (PSP) was formed in March 2002 to give the private sector in the North West a voice on issues of concern to businesses in the North West and an easier way for the public sector to communicate with business and industry within the region. PSP has the long term health, wealth and growth of the economy in the North West in mind. Today, the PSP represents the views of 140,000 businesses, involving 1.2 million employees. This is over a third of all businesses in the region and a third of all employees.
The following 20 organisations are members of the PSP:
-Association of Chartered Certified Accountants 4,500 individuals -British Printing Industries’ Federation 350 businesses -Chartered Institute of Building 4,500 individuals -Chartered Institute of Marketing 3,100 individuals -Confederation of British Industry 2,000 businesses -Engineering Employers’ Federation, North West 800 businesses -Environmental Industries Commission 150 businesses -Federation of Small Businesses 18,000 businesses -Forum of Private Business 2,600 businesses -House Builders’ Federation 90 businesses -Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales 10,500 individuals -Institute of Directors 2,700 individuals -Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment 800 individuals -Institute of Financial Accountants 460 individuals -Institution of Electrical Engineers 8,000 individuals -Law Society 8,000 individuals -National Farmers’ Union 10,000 businesses -Road Haulage Association 1,400 businesses -Royal Institute of British Architects 1,800 individuals -Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 9,000 individuals
There is no intention whatsoever to limit the independence of members who wish to pursue their particular interests separately from any association with the PSP.
The PSP has focused its efforts on:
-Helping the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) to develop its strategy and communications with the private sector. -Offering contact with senior people from the private sector to publicly-funded bodies -Securing the influence of businesses during the Government’s proposals for changes to legislation on planning. -Strengthening the modernisation of local government. -Creating the private sector’s exchange – a series of events for members and invited guests. -Submitting responses to proposals from Government. -Exploration of the private sector’s place in governance of regions -A regional conference for smaller firms -Review of socially responsible investment and corporate social responsibility -Inclusion of professions in the processes for making decisions. -A survey of businesses.
Bryan Gray, chairman of the NWDA led the first PSP Exchange in September. Marc Sussman, a former commercial counsellor in the administrations of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, conducted a masterclass in October on doing business with America. Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for e-commerce, was the principal speaker at a meeting sponsored by BT in November. Gary Titley MEP (and leader of Britain’s Group of Labour MEPs) considered in February opportunities for businesses in the expanded European Union, and Ivan Lewis MP, minister for skills and vocational education, presented a workshop during May. Frequent consultations on the needs of small firms in the Region have started with the Alliance for Skills and Productivity and the Small Business Service. PSP has co-operated with initiatives by the Learning and Skills Council, Lancashire and has signed an agreement with Jobcentre Plus. It has had discussions on the agenda for reform of planning with the Department for Transport, Government Office for the North West and NWDA. PSP has two places on the Programme Monitoring Committee, European Social Fund and one member on each of the Northwest Marketing Forum, Barrow Task Force and Cumbria Vision. Terry Cook is the PSP’s Chairman and also the Regional Manager of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He was formerly Regional Director of the Institute of Directors and took over the role of chairman from PSP founder, Len Collinson.
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