Solent LEP is seeking new director candidates

The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is seeking prominent business leaders to join its Board of Directors.

The Solent LEP board takes responsibility for shaping economic strategy in the region, including the development of a Strategic Economic Plan for the area and delivery of a growth programme valued at over £1bn supported by a 151.9m Local Growth Deal with Government to create up to 600 new jobs and enable 11,000 new homes to be built.

The LEP Board is made up of business, education and local authority Directors and was the first LEP in the country to have a fully-elected board.

The LEP is seeking applications from business leaders from all sectors of the Solent economy to add to existing expertise on the Board but is particularly keen on those with experience in construction, development and regeneration. The LEP are also encouraging applications from senior female business leaders in the Solent area, business leaders from the Solent small and medium sized business (SME) community, and from business leaders working on the Isle of Wight.

Alongside the opportunity to join the main LEP Board, the Solent LEP is also inviting applications for company membership from Businesses operating in the Solent area.

Business members have a critical role to play in shaping the work of the Solent LEP, through electing members of the business community to the Solent LEP Board, voting on membership issues that inform how the LEP operates, and by putting forward representatives to become directly involved in the work of the LEP in its supporting delivery panels.

Gary Jeffries, Chairman of the Solent LEP, said:

It is a very exciting time to be involved in local growth and Business Directors at the LEP play an absolutely critical role in leading work to improve productivity in the Solent. Our Board will be in the best position to represent the area if we have a mix of top business people from a range of perspectives, backgrounds and areas and I hope we receive many strong applications from what is a dynamic and innovative business community to help us maintain our position in the Solent as a leading LEP area.

Any individuals interested in applying for a role on the Board, or companies interested in applying for membership should see the following guidance pack for further information. 

• Information and Application Pack
• Candidate Statement Template
• Business Member Application Form

The closing date for applications is Friday 8^th April 2016.