CHAMBERNEWS


Eileen Richards and Jean Mountain, Co-Chairs of Enterprising Women


Welcome to the new Enterprising Women column with Co-Chairs Jean Mountain and Eileen Richards MBE. Here we’ll share regular updates, news and announcements with Chamber members - keeping you up-to-date with all things Enterprising Women, including exciting upcoming events and award ceremonies. Our most recent Enterprising


Women lunch was focused on wellbeing and featured guest speaker Rosemary Conley CBE, DL who highlighted the importance of this topic, metaphorically comparing our minds and bodies to a brand new Ferrari - treasure it, appreciate it, look after it and nurture it so it gives us a very good and long life. We have an exciting year


ahead for the Enterprising Women network with some great events coming up for all aspiring females across the Midlands to get involved in - see the Enterprising Women website for details. Preparations for the


Enterprising Women Awards, taking place next March, are already well underway with sponsors finalised and nominations opening later this year.


If you are interested in learning more about our Enterprising Women network, or would like to send a member of your team to one of our events, visit: www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/enterprising-women


Best wishes, Jean and Eileen


40 business network June 2019


Ian Morgan


Open letter calls for removal of doubts over HS2 in the East Midlands


In light of recent reports and future political events raising doubts about HS2 in the region, Ian Morgan, the Chair of both the East Midlands HS2 Business Advisory Group and the Chamber of Commerce for the East Midlands, has written an open letter setting out reasons for supporting it. A number of potential contenders in the future


Conservative Party leadership battle have recently raised concerns about the project’s value. And recently, the House of Lords Economic Affairs


Committee published a report, Rethinking High Speed 2, which roundly criticised Government for its handling of the biggest rail investment programme in the UK since Victorian times. While Rethinking High Speed 2 did not suggest that


the project should be axed, it failed to mention the transformational economic benefits it would bring to the East Midlands – in fact, it didn’t mention Toton, Chesterfield or Staveley at all. Responding to this, Ian said that recent reports “have fundamentally misunderstood, or even ignored completely, the opportunities HS2 creates”, adding that “delivered in full, it will be transformational for the East Midlands economy”. Under the current plan, there would be a trains-


maintenance depot at Staveley, Chesterfield would be one of the station stops and there would be a station hub at Toton, which would allow massive regeneration of the surrounding area. Ian said: “[HS2] will better connect us to other major


hubs across the UK and free up vital capacity on the wider road and rail networks, keeping our businesses competitive.” He also mentions how having Toton as a focal point


had brought businesses and academia together like never before to look at future skills development and spurred further investment in the region. While agreeing that, as with any major infrastructure project, costs need to be controlled, Ian warned that


‘HS2 will better connect us to other major hubs across the UK and free up vital capacity on the wider road and rail networks’


the East Midlands must not allow itself to be drawn into an ‘either/or’ debate over HS2 and future infrastructure investment, describing the project as “a catalyst” for a successful East Midlands for decades to come. Ian’s intervention comes at a time when businesses


have warned that continued uncertainty around the project is starting to stifle growth, with some companies on the route being unsure whether to invest in premises or move. The legal part of the planning process for the Eastern


Leg of HS2 Phase 2B has yet to be finalised by Government, however, the Treasury has committed £2m to the East Midlands Development Corporation to develop a strategic plan for an area including Toton, the soon-to-be-decommissioned Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and East Midlands Airport. Businesses alongside local authorities in the East Midlands are calling for the legal certainty to be given as soon as possible.


For more on the Chamber’s position regarding HS2, see the Politics section on p44/45.


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