Gearing up to fight Gloucestershire's corner in the national ring

Gloucestershire has lost its voice of business, GFirst LEP, but work is afoot to create a powerful regional organisation to ensure the county is heard, writes Ian Mean, director of Business West.

Over 20 years of editing newspapers in Gloucestershire and Bristol, I have often felt frustrated by the lack of joined up business and leadership thinking in our region.

Why Oh why does this upper part of the South West seem to me to be so often ignored by government?

Do you agree with me? Surely, the innovation and great businesses in our region need to be better recognised.

Well,at long last, something is being done about changing that narrative.

Business West, of which I am Gloucestershire director, has just announced the formation of the Futures West Foundation for Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth.

It will bring business leaders, academics and policy makers together to tackle the long term regional challenges to raise productivity, growth and innovation.

The Foundation covers the broader economic geography of the upper part of South West England including Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and Swindon.

That’s a veritable powerhouse in its own right.

It will work …