Ministerial visit to the Ricoh Arena

7th March 2011

Ministerial visit to the Ricoh Arena

Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg gave forceful backing to the new Local Enterprise Partnerships at a major event at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

The duo were part of a six minister delegation who visited the Ricoh Arena in the city to talk to more than 35 LEPs at their national summit.

The LEPs - business led partnerships with the public sector - were devised by the coalition Government to drive forward the economy and to break down the barriers to growth.

The Coventry and Warwickshire LEP was one of the first to be formed and has already won Government praise for its progress.

The Prime Minister said the LEPs were a major tool in "re-balancing the economy" and said the coalition would remain pro-business.

The duo - along with Coventry and Warwickshire LEP chair Denys Shortt - answered questions on the assets of Regional Development Agencies manufacturing and planning.

Shortt said: “We were delighted to welcome the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and four other ministers to the Ricoh Arena and it underlines the great importance and significance they are placing on LEPs. It is rare to have such a high profile ministerial presence in a public session.

“We have got off to a flying start here in Coventry and Warwickshire on the LEP front and we are determined to continue the work we have started here and help to break down the barriers of growth with our local authorities and local business community through the Chamber and FSB.”

Daniel Gidney, chief executive of the Ricoh Arena and chairman of the LEP’s Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism Taskforce and Skills and Employability Group, said: “We are delighted to have hosted the largest ministerial visit to Coventry and Warwickshire and this highlights the work we are doing regionally is being noticed on a national level.

“The Ricoh Arena is a fantastic example of collaborative working between the public, private and voluntary sectors that has fostered new enterprise and significant job creation in a deprived area of north Coventry.

“We have also transformed a contaminated derelict site to an Olympic venue within a decade and taken the city of Coventry from outside the top 20 UK conferencing destinations to seventh place within five years.”