Summary

The South West Growth Charter was published on 7 November 2016, following the South West Growth Summit held at the University of Exeter on 21 October 2016.

Speakers included representatives from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnerships, the CBI South West, Exeter City Council, the University of Exeter, the Wester Morning News as well as four local MPs – Johnny Mercer, Geoffrey Cox, Gary Streeter and Neil Parish and Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The full proceedings of the summit are available online.

The Charter contains five commitments:

  • Collaboration between the public and private sectors and LEPs to drive growth;

  • Investment in regional self-sufficiency to curb reliance on grant aid;

  • Investment in new industrial clusters based around the aerospace, marine, defence, engineering and digital technology sectors;

  • Investment designed to retain workers in the region; and

  • Investment in environment and infrastructure

The Charter also asks for the Government to assist through

  • A focus on the South West in the Government’s Industrial Strategy;
  • Investment in energy connectivity;
  • Investment in transport connectivity; and
  • Investment in digital connectivity

Further Reading

South West Growth Charter: a New Partnership for the South West

Full proceedings of the South West Growth Summit, University of Exeter, 21 October 2016

A South West that works for everybody, speech delivered by Sajid Javid MP at the South West Growth Summit, University of Exeter, 21 October 2016

Message from the South West delivered straight to the Chancellor’s door, Plymouth Herald, 18 November 2016

The South West search for a name to rival the Northern Powerhouse, Plymouth Herald, 14 November 2016

South West Growth Charter, Pennon Group PLC, 7 November 2016

Putting the South West in focus, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Regional and local economic growth statistics, House of Commons Library

Regional and National Economic Indicators, House of Commons Library

Local Enterprise Partnerships, House of Commons Library

Industrial Strategy, House of Commons Library