Gloucestershire loses major ally in its battle to be heard
The Raikes Journal broke this story on Friday, but we can now run the official line from the Western Gateway on the funding cut that spells the end of this most powerful voice for Gloucestershire.
Dear readers,
Welcome to the first edition of The Raikes Journal of the week.
Today we lead on a story Raikes broke on Friday about the Government’s decision to cut the funding to the Western Gateway Partnership. Why is that important?
Because it is possibly the most powerful voice Gloucestershire has if it is to be heard in the corridors of power in London, when it comes to investment.
On Friday we ran a story that was half paywalled that allowed our members to see the contents of a letter sent by James Cooke, the deputy director of the Western Gateway, to Business West, which confirmed the news (you can read that here).
We can now officially reveal the Western Gateway’s reaction, and what Business West thinks of it too, as well as what the county’s two biggest chambers of commerce have to say.
With devolution also pending in Gloucestershire, some will be wondering where the economic leadership will come from now.
We asked the county council on Friday last week and again today for a reaction, but have heard nothing. Which leaves us wondering if that is because they have nothing positive to say about it?
We also run a our regular charity feature, which today is about a major event due to take place this week which you can support, our usual selection of briefing notes (shorter busines stories), and some diary dates for the week ahead. (If you are a B Corp, you might want to pay particular attention to the briefing notes!).
Being a monday, this edition is always free of paywalls - and like all the others, made possible by those who support what we do as Founding Partners,
We hope you enjoy it. And please, do share it far and wide and encourage others to sign up too.
Remember, for every person you refer to The Raikes Journal’s email service you get points towards a free membership allowing you to see beyond our paywalls. Please do sign up (free or otherwise), send the referral link to a friend or colleague, and help us grow.
Andrew Merrell (editor).
If you have a story, an issue, a news item, a charity or an interview you want us to write about or investigate, challenge the powers that be about, then please email me: andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.
NB: We believe if you want to reach the heart of Gloucestershire’s business community, its charity leaders, and the decision makers in its education and training sectors, Raikes is now is the vehicle you need to get on board.
Charity of the week: Caring for Communities and People
If you have gone anywhere near the business community’s favourite social media channel of late, LinkedIn, you should be familiar with this. But we repeat it here because it is worth it - plus, you still have a chance to pledge your support ahead of the event. That event will take place on Thursday 27 March this week when a group of hardy individuals will gather at Brickhampton Golf Course, Staverton, to take on what has become known as the CCP’s Big Sleep Out. Caring for Communities and People raises thousands of pounds with the annual event to support people experiencing homelessness and those facing the threat of losing their home. You can find out more and about how to donate here. If you are taking part - good luck!
* The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read by us is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne, our sponsors Hartpury University and Hartpury College, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
If you subscribe and invite friends to The Raike Journal you will earn rewards towards complimentary membership (three referrals will get you one month, 10 will get you three months, and 25 will win you six months).
If you upgrade to paid you’ll be part of this CIC too. We are dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire, to championing the county, in particular its businesses, charities, education and training providers, and to helping create an even stronger community. If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls often put on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire series. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable to deliver more original articles on our county.
You can sign up to receive your two extra editions a week and see past all our paywalls for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once. Or go all in and become one of our Founding Partners or Founding Members!
Call for citizens’ assembly to have say on devolution
As Gloucestershire’s political leaders battle away in the hope of shaping what the county will look like and who will lead it going forward, some are calling for county-wide citizens’ assembly to decide devolution.
That is the wish of Stroud District Council’s Green Party leader Catherine Braun (Wotton-under-Edge) whose authority unanimously supported Gloucestershire’s response to ministers on local government reorganisation.
The council agreed a joint response from the seven Gloucestershire councils which sets out the county’s work-in-progress towards local government reorganisation at a meeting last week.
Currently the county is served by Gloucestershire County Council which provides some services, and six district councils which provide different services, plus town and parish councils.
A new, unitary structure would see the top two tiers combine.
Three options have been put forward which include one unitary council for the whole county, two unitaries formed by Stroud District, Forest of Dean District and Gloucester City councils in the west and by Cheltenham Borough, Cotswold District and Tewkesbury Borough councils in the east.
And a third option that includes two or three unitary councils including a “Greater Gloucester” area.
Stroud District Council has committed to wider public engagement for the next phase of the work and Cllr Braun hopes that will also include a county-wide citizens’ assembly before the next submissions in November.
An assembly would be a group of residents selected at random to learn about, deliberate upon, and make recommendations to inform the political debate.
Elected politicians would still make the final decision.
The district council will work with the other local authorities to create final proposals for devolution before the Government deadline of November 28, 2025. Special thanks to Carmelo Garcia, the BBC’s local government reporter in Gloucestershire, for this one.
Briefing notes…
🧺🧴 A massive congratulations to Ciara McGurk, whose Gloucestershire business Tallow + Ash, a luxury laundry product, has been accepted onto Tesco’s accelerator programme. Which means its products will start appearing in the nationwide supermarket’s stores. An official launch date is yet to be revealed.
🍫 Gloucestershire chef, Aggy Dadan, has opened her latest shop - the tantalisingly named Chocolate, in Gosditch Street, Cirencester. Dadan found fame with Channel 4’s Extreme Chocolate and also featured on the BBC ITV and All4. Her new outlet sells the likes of cakes, desserts, chocolate sculptures, bonbons and butter buns.
🫴🏼 Those who saw our Friday edition will have seen this already. Cheltenham-based PR and marketing experts apt is offering B Corp businesses UK-wide access to a free ‘bank’ of 250 hours of its expertise. Any B Corp accredited company can claim up to five hours of agency time to help with brand, marketing, or pr strategy. To be eligible brands must be either already B Corp certified or be actively working towards accreditation. To claim, email purpose@aptmarketing.co.uk with the subject ‘B Corp Brand Bank application’, proof of your B Corp certification, and what they would like to use the hours for. The deadline to claim is 11.59pm on 31 March 2025.
📅 The employment team at Willans solicitors will bring you the latest on legislation, case law and immigration with practical advice for your business with a seminar in partnership with the Gloucestershire CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) on Tuesday April 1. Willans’ employment law team will update you on current developments, covering recent and future changes in legislation and the impact of recent case law. Due to take place at DoubleTree by Hilton Cheltenham, Cirencester Road, Charlton Kings (GL53 8EA). Find out more here: Employment law update.
📅 Cheltenham Jobs Fair is due to take place on Wednesday, March 23, from 10am to 12pm. Entry is free. This is your chance to meet employers, get careers advice, find free training courses and, of course, to find that dream job.
A community for soul traders
Ceandice Main, of Main Tax Co, is due to launch ‘Soul Trade Society’ on Thursday next week at Steeplechase Distillery, Montpellier Arcade, Cheltenham, at 7.30pm. Main is setting up the society specifically to support sole traders, not just through compliance, but give them financial clarity, help them make better business decisions and to give them a network they can trust and rely that will be there through the highs and lows of business ownership. According to the accountant, while MHRC’s website is vastly improved, it can still be hard for many to decipher. That’s where Soul Trade Society comes in. To help small businesses navigate the challenges ahead.
Diary Dates…
Tuesday
The Growth Hub in Stroud is due to stage a networking brunch to help entrepreneurs connect and share ideas. Due to take place from 9.30am to 11am at its headquarters at SGS College, Stratford Road.
Wednesday
All eyes will be on Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, today as she steps up shortly after noon to deliver her much-anticipated Spring Statement.
Thursday
The Growth Hub in Tewkesbury is due to stage a special seminar to help you drive business growth from 9.30am to 1pm, called ‘90 day action plan for start-ups’. Find out more here.
Friday
The Andersons Seminars give an overview of the UK farming industry, its prospects, policy changes, legislation, economics and profits. This one is due to take place at the Royal Agricultural University at Boutflour Hall, from 10am to 1pm.
Gloucestershire loses major ally in its battle to be heard
The Raikes Journal broke this story on Friday, but we can now run the official line from the Western Gateway on the funding cut that spells the end of this most powerful voice for Gloucestershire.
By Andrew Merrell.
“This is a hugely disappointing decision,” is how the chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, Sarah Williams-Gardener, reacted to the decision to cut its funding by the UK Government.
It may not sound like a big deal if you have not been following the work of the Western Gateway, but its ability to speak on behalf of the region was already establishing it as potentially the fastest growing in the UK and one to invest in.
And the ability of the Anglo-Welsh partnership of 28 local authorities and businesspeople to speak up for a West and South Wales region that included Gloucestershire was, some considered, vital after the demise of GFirst LEP.
When the independent business group that was the LEP went in-house at the county council it was the Western Gateway that stepped into the void, a partnership with enough power to be heard alongside the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine.
But now, with a voice of economic leadership yet to fully re-emerge from within a county council that has all eyes on devolution, some say it leaves Gloucestershire looking decidedly isolated.
Although there does seem to be a glimmer of hope that some of the Western Gateway’s functions and points of focus could survive, especially around nuclear power.
Sarah Williams-Gardener, chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, said: “This is a hugely disappointing decision from the UK Government.
“Despite representation from Welsh Government calling for talks on how both governments can work together on this, requests to meet from business and locally elected leaders and MPs, they have refused to engage with any of us from our area on this decision.
“It’s been a great journey we’ve been on having delivered hundreds of millions of pounds of investment into key sites across the area; putting together a credible, locally supported cross-border economic plan for growth which recognises our natural economic geography; and bringing together leaders from across the political spectrum to deliver for the 4.8 million people who live here.
“Whilst the UK Government has decided to put the brakes on this massive economic opportunity, I and our board of local authority leaders are committed to ensuring we can still deliver on our area’s potential.
“The evidence our partnership has uncovered shows that our area can become the fastest-growing economy outside of London and we will do what we can to achieve this, with or without the Government’s help.”
Phil Smith, managing director of Business West, which represents chambers of commerce across the region, seemed to think there could be reason to hope some of the partnership’s work could continue.
“With UK Government funding for the Western Gateway Partnership now officially confirmed as ceasing, there is a possibility that some of the cross border economic development work it has majored on will slow down or stop altogether,” said Smith.
“However, ever since the Government announced its intentions to review such pan-regional bodies back in the autumn, Business West and other remaining bodies have been in conversation about how we can maintain some of these orphaned projects e.g. The Severn Edge Nuclear development, such that they aren’t lost to the region’s future.”
Severn Edge being focused on area around Oldbury Power Station in South Gloucestershire.
Lindsey Holland, project executive at Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce, attended the Local Growth Plan meeting in Gloucester last week and, she said, heard first-hand about the potential consequences of losing the pan-regional partnerships, especially Western Gateway.
“It’s a major concern given the current devolution plans and the potential for Gloucestershire to be left behind if funding is removed to the voice in London,” said Holland, reacting to the news of the funding cut.
“It’s at moments like this where county chambers, like Business West, may well become even more important and strategically all the local chambers that feed into these regional chambers.”
Luke Lutman, the chairman of Gloucester Chamber of Commerce, said: “When GFirst LEP closed the Western Gateway was seen as the organisation that would now carry the torch for the county.
“It has gone on to do good work and will be a real loss for the county and for the city. It has been a great advocate for Gloucestershire.”
He agreed that eyes were now turning to the county council’s economic growth board, which is made up of much of the remainder of the GFirst LEP team.
Tom Berry, chairman of Stroud Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Western Gateway was a key strategic body in championing this part of the UK.
“We will watch with interest where the functions of this body will be housed going forwards so that the South West continues to have a strong voice at a time when business needs strategic support more than ever.”
When Raikes first published this article, on March 24, it has not heard back from the county council after it requested a comment, but we can now (25 March) add that below.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council said: “We have been a core partner of Western Gateway and we are working with the wider partnership to explore how we can continue to work cross border with our Welsh partners and ensure the projects, such as Severn Edge, will continue to develop.
“In the meantime, we are continuing to deliver Growth Hubs, inward investment, and our business groups which have transferred over from GFirst LEP.
“The council has an agreed economic strategy and is working as a partnership across the county to develop a local growth plan that will provide the blueprint for how the county can develop and grow.
“The county is in a strong position to continue a sustainable growth agenda with huge potential ahead of us.
“The Economic Growth Board is an integral part to that story and includes a diverse group of business leaders who are adding real value to the discussion about all of these opportunities.”
Andy Sanders, head of communities and economic development at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “The news of the cut to funding to the Western Gateway Partnership is unfortunate, however we will continue to focus on our borough’s future, and work with the county council and other economic stakeholders and MPs to ensure that our voice is heard.”
The Western Gateway statement itself said that “all of the 28 local authorities that make up the partnership are committed to continuing cross-border collaboration, especially to continue work on tidal energy in the Severn Estuary”.
However, it also said that “without Government funding, the secretariat delivery team will cease to function from 6 June 2025”.
More than 100 business and academics responded to the UK Government Consultation on this decision to support continued funding for the Western Gateway Partnership specifically just before Christmas.
The decision was made by Minister Jim McMahon on the 13 March 2024.
In McMahon’s letter to the partnership, he made it clear the decision was based on the role that Mayoral Combined Authority Mayors would now play in bringing together pan-regional areas.
“This is despite the fact that Mayoral Combined Authorities do not exist in Wales and therefore cross-border economies like the Western Gateway would not easily be supported by this new model,” said the statement.
It also seems unlikley at this stage that Gloucestershire will adopt a Metro Mayor in its own devolution model either.
“Representatives from the Western Gateway, the area’s business community and parliamentarians have attempted to engage the UK Government and the minister on this at numerous occasions since the announcement in the budget but have been ignored.”
Under the right leadership the Western Gateway Partnership believed the West and South Wales region “could still become the fastest-growing area outside of London in just under five years”.
In its fifth year of existence as a pan-regional partnership, the Western Gateway managed to bring in over £2 million of “in-kind and financial support” for its work from local and national organisations.
With this, the partnership launched the Severn Estuary Commission to look at harnessing the UK’s largest tidal range, attracted more than £100m to ensure the area can develop the UK’s first Small Modular Reactors and hosted three sponsored national conferences attracting over 1,500 business leaders and Government Ministers to the area.