Partnership Activity
Members of
the Initiative Team take a leading role in a number of key
partnerships linking the public and private sectors. We engage in
these to help produce solutions which benefit the whole community
and to ensure growth plans for the area are ambitious enough to
meet the needs of business and our community. These
include:
South West Regional Development Agency
The SWRDA leads the
development of a sustainable economy in the South West, investing
to unlock the region’s business potential. Its work is guided by
the shared economic vision for the region set out in the Regional
Economic Strategy 2006-2015 and its Corporate Plan 2008-2011.
For more information visit http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/
Learning and
Skills Council West of England (LSC)
The LSC exists to make
England better skilled and more competitive. It is responsible for
planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training
for everyone. It has a single goal: to improve the skills of
England's young people and adults to world-class standards. The LSC
West of England is chaired by John Savage, Chief Executive of GWE
Business West.
For more information
visit www.lsc.gov.uk/regions/SouthWest
West of England
Partnership
The West of England is a prosperous area with an excellent
quality of life and a growing national and international profile.
However, rapid growth means that the sub-region faces increasing
pressure on its infrastructure, and it is still the case that there
are too many neighbourhoods which do not share in this
prosperity.
The West of England
Partnership was formed in response to these opportunities and
challenges and consists of four unitary authorities - Bath &
North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South
Gloucestershire and a range of social, economic and environmental
partners.
For more information
visit http://www.westofengland.org/
Local Strategic
Partnerships
GWE Business West is
represented on the Boards and Sub Groups of the Local Strategic
Partnerships for Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North
Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
The Local Strategic
Partnerships bring together leaders from across the public,
private, voluntary and community sectors, to develop a shared
vision for their area and secure delivery of shared ambitions for
their area.
For more information
visit:
http://www.northsomersetpartnership.co.uk/
www.bristolpartnership.org/
www.communities.beintouch.org.uk/
www.ourareaourfuture.org.uk/
Destination
Bristol
Destination
Bristol is a partnership between GWE Business West, Bristol City
Council and 300 businesses stretching across the sub-region with
the mission to promote Bristol and support the visitor economy.
Established in 1999, this thriving partnership is
continuing to develop and expand by working in close partnership
with the South West RDA to develop the skills of people working in
the region’s tourism and retail sectors, as well as supporting the
development of rural areas, and by developing an ever closer
relationship with organisations responsible for the marketing and
management of the city centre. Destination Bristol incorporates
the Broadmead Forum and the Harbourside Forum.
For more information
visit: http://www.visitbristol.co.uk/
Bristol
Cultural Development Partnership (BCDP)
Set up in 1993 by GWE
Business West, Bristol City Council and the Arts
Council England, the BCDP developed Bristol's bid for European
Capital of Culture 2008. This led to Bristol being awarded the
title European Centre of Culture - one of only five in the
country. Other projects include At-Bristol, Brief and Animated
Encounters, Bristol Legible City, the Bristol Great
Reading Adventure, Brunel 200, Darwin 200, BAC 100 (for the
centenary of the Bristol Aeroplane company in 2010) and the
Bristol Festival of Ideas.
For more information
visit:
http://www.bristolreads.com/
http://www.brunel200.com/
http://www.ideasfestival.co.uk/
Northern Arc
Ltd
Northern Arc Ltd is
committed to providing business support services in
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the West of England (formerly Avon).
Northern Arc is a joint-venture company owned by GWE
Business West (Swindon & Bristol) and Chargrove Business
Services Ltd (Cheltenham).
Launched in April 2007,
the company’s prime area of activity is to deliver publicly-funded
contracts in the area of business support and skills development.
Northern Arc is contracted to the South West Regional Development
Agency (SWRDA) to provide the Business Link service in the areas
referred to above and it provides the Train to Gain service on
behalf of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The company also
provides a number of related services such as the Creative
Enterprise Gateway and the Rural Enterprise Gateway.
For more information
visit: http://www.northernarcltd.co.uk/index.asp
South West
Chambers of Commerce
The South West Chambers
of Commerce are a network of all 132 Chambers (large and small)
located across the seven counties of the South West Region of
England. Together, this network embraces over 10,000
businesses who between them have some 350,000 employees, thus
providing the economic welfare for at least 500,000
people (equating to 10% of the entire population of the
Region).
The South West Chambers
of Commerce (SWCC) network was established in 1998 as a
collaborative venture. It is currently operating under a
three-year Business Plan to 2010, which has sought to clarify
and strengthen both the role and modus operandi of the
grouping. The Plan also sets out the SWCC's constituent
structure and its objectives for the immediate and medium term
future.
For more information
visit: http://www.swchamber.co.uk/index.asp
Bristol Chamber of Commerce
and Initiative
The Bristol Chamber of
Commerce and Initiative provides a range of business benefits
and support services to members and organises a programme of
networking events to enable members to meet, make new contacts,
build on existing relationships and generate leads for new
business. The Chamber also concentrates on the three major topics
which most affect local businesses – national issues, transport and
local planning. The Business Forum concerns itself with national
factors such as the Budget and Autumn Statement. Planning and
Transportation are dealt with by a single committee which meets
eight times a year, alternating its deliberations between the two
inextricably linked topics.
For more information contact: membership@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
Bath
Chamber of Commerce and Initiative
A wholly owned subsidiary
of GWE Business West, the Chamber and Initiative allows businesses
of all sizes to join forces and share information, make new
contacts and engage constructively with the local authority on
matters of mutual interest. The Initiative mainly considers and
debates wide strategic issues such as planning, development,
tourism, transport and access. Meanwhile, the Chamber Executive
considers detailed recommendations from the standing committees in
order to formulate policy. Those committees discuss issues of
concern for Retail & Tourism, Transport & Highways and City
& Economic Development. The Chamber also offers local
businesses an attractive calendar of events.
For more information
email bells@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
Future Bath
Plus
An exciting public /
private partnership between the Bath Chamber of Commerce and
Initiative and the Council for Bath and North East Somerset.
Future Bath Plus has been set up to improve Bath and the
surrounding area by introducing City Centre Management and drawing
it more closely together with both Bath Tourism Plus and culture,
incorporating the many activities which have made Bath a City of
Festivals.
For more information
email bells@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
Bathand District Business Crime Reduction
Partnership
Avon and Somerset
Police, Bath and North East Somerset Council and GWE Business West
all come together with representatives from other organisations and
interested parties on the Board of the Partnership which is
designed to reduce retail crime in Bath, Keynsham, Radstock and
Midsomer Norton by linking businesses and CCTV operators through a
radio link.
For more information
email bells@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
Initiative for
North Somerset
The North Somerset
chapter of The West of England Initiative continues to develop. It
aims to provide a strategic channel through which public and
private sector can discuss and debate key issues affecting this
part of the sub-region. The initiative aims to pull together the
resources of local businesses to solve mutual problems.
For more information
email angela.hicks@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
ABLAZE
ABLAZE is a
UK registered charity. It began as the business support group
for the Bristol Education Action Zone and is now building on that
excellent foundation to reach out to education, business and
communities across the West of England. It aims to bring
these together to improve attainment, attendance and achievement in
our schools.
For more
information visit: http://www.ablazebristol.org/
Team West of
England
Team West of England was set up to ensure the area
makes the most of the opportunities offered as a result of the 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games being held in London. The Group played
a major part in bringing the UK Schools Games to Bristol and Bath
and will continue to explore a range of ways in which the legacy of
2012 will be felt in this part of the country.
For more information
visit:
http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/region/london2012/delivery/west-of-england-1.shtm
West of England Sport
Trust
The West of England Sport Trust works collectively to
increase, promote, support and celebrate lifelong participation in
sport, whether casual or organised. It aims to improve physical
fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or
obtaining results in competition at all levels.
For more information visit: http://www.wesport.org.uk/
Cater Road
Business Park
Cater Business Park is a vibrant South Bristol location
providing a base for a variety of businesses. All involved in
working on Cater Business Park are committed to a Vision to see it
become a leading Business Park in South Bristol.
For more information visit:
http://www.caterbusinesspark.co.uk