Annex
THE NORTH WEST BUSINESS LEADERSHIP TEAM
The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT)
brings together a group of the most influential business leaders
in North West England, to address key strategic issues affecting
the well-being of the region and all its people. The current membership
is shown overleaf.
NWBLT was formally launched by HRH The Prince
of Wales in July 1989 and has been at the forefront of the strategic
development of the North West region ever since. In 1992, in partnership
with the North West Regional Association of Local Authorities
and with support from the European Commission, NWBLT commissioned
the North West's first comprehensive Regional Economic Strategy.
NWBLT also played a leading role in the formation in 1994 of The
North West Partnership—the first region-wide partnership
between the public, private, academic, co-operative, trade union
and voluntary sectors. NWBLT is now a partner in the North West
Regional Assembly, which took over the functions of The North
West Partnership and Regional Association in 1998 in readiness
for the introduction of the statutory North West Development Agency
in April 1999. NWBLT's Chairman also acts as Chairman of the Regional
Review Group, which brings together senior representatives of
the Regional Assembly, Development Agency and Government Office
North West to monitor the effective delivery of the Regional Strategy
and aid the overall process of regional consultation and accountability.
NWBLT's approach is to operate as a strategic
regional think-tank, focussing on a small number of key issues
and projects which support or complement the North West's Regional
Strategy, launched by the Development Agency in January 2000.
This sets out a vision for the North West as a region which attracts
and retains skilled and talented people; nurtures its communities
and environment; kindles creativity, innovation and competitiveness;
and enhances its image, infrastructure and ability to attract
inward investment.
NWBLT was heavily engaged in promoting wide
consultation with the region's principal business sectors during
the preparation of the Regional Strategy and now focusses its
attention on those aspects of the Strategy's development and implementation
to which the input of business leaders adds the greatest value.
Currently the principal focus is on promoting skills development
and enterprise, marketing the region and supporting the region's
strategic transport and communications priorities. Specialist
action groups, drawn from NWBLT's member companies, have been
working on these key areas since January 2002. The Team is particularly
mindful of the need to focus on the key industry sectors identified
in the Regional Strategy and the value of close collaboration
between business and the education and research institutions in
enhancing the economic competitiveness of the region in the global
market place. Over the years NWBLT has also played a significant
role in promoting best practice in social responsibility and sustainable
development through its members' corporate community activities.
Further information on all these activities is available on the
NWBLT website www.nwblt.co.uk
Membership of NWBLT is by invitation of the
Chairman and is normally restricted to the Chairmen or senior
Board members of major public companies in the North West. The
work of NWBLT is supported by a small office located at Daresbury
Laboratory, near Warrington. A Business Leadership Forum meets
monthly around the region to enable regular communication to take
place with other organisations or individuals interested in contributing
to the well-being of the North West and improving the quality
of life of all its people.
June 2002
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