The Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) City Deal team has started recruiting for board members for its Regional Economic Growth Partnership (REGP).
The REGP, which is currently being established, will directly advise the CCR Regional Cabinet, and will be responsible for reviewing the Regional Economic Strategy and advising on City Deal Investment proposals. It will also have an advocacy role, promoting the Region as a prime investment opportunity and visitor location.
The Board will consist of the Chair and 6 to 12 members made up of a combination of private sector businesses, employer bodies, local government, education and skills, and the third sector.
Board members will work with the Chair of the REGP on a variety of areas, including: reviewing and commenting on the Regional Economic Strategy; reviewing and challenging investment decisions; providing an advocacy role for the city region; promoting the uptake of external funding sources; providing advice on proposed interventions; and acting as a named consultee for the CCR Cabinet.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, Chair of the CCR Regional Cabinet and Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, said: “The REGP Board will play an extremely important role in shaping the City Deal. We are looking for people of the highest calibre who will bring with them an understanding of the region’s economy and politics and of economic growth and policy beyond the region, and beyond Wales.
“The membership must have an outward-looking mind-set which draws on other regions’ experiences and wide network of contacts across the UK and internationally.
“Ideally they will also have experience of working on Inward Investment strategies and campaigns and a willingness and ability to participate in regional campaigns and in the nurturing of potential investment opportunities.”
Councillor Huw Thomas, the CCR’s Portfolio Co-leader on Economic Development and Leader of Cardiff Council, said:
“The Regional Economic Growth Partnership will bring together stakeholders of all sectors across the city-region to cast an eye over the decisions made by the Cardiff Capital Region Cabinet. It will play a vital role in ensuring that we make the most of the City Deal, whilst also helping to promote the city-region as a place to invest and do business.”
“This is an excellent opportunity for people to get involved and make a real difference in shaping the impact that the City Deal will have on this region.”
The positions are not remunerated, but appropriate expenses will be paid. Deadline for applications is November 17, 2017.
The CCR City Deal is set to unlock significant economic growth across the CCR, which includes the ten local authorities of Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen and The Vale of Glamorgan.
The aims of the CCR City Deal are to create jobs and boost economic prosperity by improving productivity, tackle worklessness, build on foundations of innovation, invest in physical and digital infrastructure, provide support for business, and ensure that any economic benefits generated as a result are felt across the region.
The CCR Regional Cabinet has already agreed to invest £37.9 million to support the development of a compound semiconductor industry cluster in south-east Wales.
The funding is being generated from the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal’s Wider Investment Fund – and is the first such investment since the £1.2 billion programme was formally signed by the leaders of the ten local authorities in the region on March 1 this year.
The project is expected to leverage up to £375 million of private sector investment over the next five years, and the creation of up to 2,000 high value, high-tech jobs, with the potential for hundreds more in the wider supply chain and cluster development.