Herefordshire, the Enterprise Capital of the Midlands, is to contribute to a new group of economic advisors to ensure that government understands and is responsive to the needs of the county and the region.
Leader of Herefordshire Council Roger Phillips has been asked to join the Regional Council of Economic Advisors by the Minister for the West Midlands Ian Austin MP, who was appointed early in October by the Prime Minister. The economic advisors are part of a new approach for feeding in issues and concerns of each region and co-ordinating economic policies across government.
Herefordshire's experience in growing creative and innovative industries sympathetically within a rural environment is valued, particularly now the county is in the running to become Enterprise Capital of Europe, having won national recognition in the Enterprise Britain 2008 awards at 11 Downing Street, London.
"My job is to promote and safeguard the prosperity of Herefordshire companies and families but the county cannot do that in isolation", said Councillor Roger Phillips. "By taking a seat on the Regional Council of Economic Advisors, I can make sure that Herefordshire's voice is heard at regional and national level, which is even more vital during this time of economic uncertainty".
The first meeting of the new council is on Friday 7 November at the Internal Convention Centre in Birmingham. Joining the meeting will be Pat McFadden, former policy adviser to Tony Blair, and deputy to new business secretary Peter Mandelson; Birmingham Erdington MP Sion Simon; and Ian Pearson MP, who is economic secretary to the treasury. Business organisations and trade unions will also be in attendance.