66 | Tees Business
TEES TALK
With the first Tees Valley mayoral election taking place in May, we ask local businesspeople what they think the new Tees Valley mayor’ s business priorities should be.
Bill Scott, CEO, Wilton Engineering Services“ My first suggestion would be to confirm our identity and drive the chosen name,‘ Tees Valley’, if that’ s the consensus. If we’ re not Teesside then the postcodes need to reflect that and need changing to TV123 etc.
“ I’ d also say think big, act big and leverage media support. Raise the aspirations of the people and max up the area and challenge the combined authority to get the best out of its ability.
“ The new mayor also needs to focus on assisting start-ups and SME companies, improve road and rail networks, ensure we have an inward investment coordinator and, as we’ re going through with Brexit, talk globally, not just to Europe.”
Chris McDonald, CEO, Materials Processing Institute“ The election of the Tees Valley mayor is the start of an exciting new era. The Mayoral Development Corporation, the first of its kind outside London, gives local people in Teesside the power to shape our future for the first time.
“ The mayor and combined authority have a real opportunity to focus on inward investment. The people and capabilities here are globally significant. With devolution we can become globally recognised for the industries that we can do better than anywhere else.”
Tanya Garland, managing director, Cool Blue Brand Communications“ Given how many jobs are created by SMEs, it’ s important to help them grow. Working with local authorities and some of the larger businesses and institutions to simplify their extremely onerous tendering processes would be useful.
“ It can be hard for SMEs to compete for contracts they’ re actually well-equipped to deliver because of the way these tendering systems are set up.
“ This means that contracts- and money- unnecessarily go out of the local area. The net result of that is less local business growth and fewer jobs created.”
Steve Macdonald, director, Macdonald Offshore“ I’ d like to see the new mayor look outside the box regarding new business opportunities on the River Tees. For instance, we’ re on the verge of winning a two-year contract to supply 20-metre fishing vessels.
“ Also, with the big increase in the renewables scope on Teesside, the transfer of local skills should be greatly supported by the new mayor, together with a focus on the benefits that apprenticeships bring.”
Zoe Lewis, principal and chief executive, Middlesbrough College“ I believe that many of Tees Valley’ s challenges are rooted in our relative under-employment levels and, therefore, economic growth and job creation should be the mayor’ s top priorities.
“ Currently, almost half of the jobs across Teesside are low salary, low skilled jobs- and this results in much of our talent leaving the region. A focus on inward investment, enterprise initiatives, investment subsidies and growth incentives- both for human capital and infrastructure development- has a great potential to improve life across the Tees Valley.”
James Grant, partnerships and communications executive, Peel Airports“ This is such a massive chance to firmly put our region on the UK map. Transport infrastructure is paramount to our region’ s success- global connectivity by air and sea is of the utmost importance to ensure our businesses can trade worldwide but is also pivotal in attracting further inward investment and job creation.
“ Strengthening our national and international transport links will help stimulate growth and show that the Tees Valley is truly open for business.”
Ian Elcoate, managing director, Tad Web Solutions“ I believe a key role of the Tees Valley mayor will be to promote business. Despite its difficulties, the area is thriving, with engineering and process sectors continuing to grow the economy and exports, but I feel we don’ t shout loudly enough about our digital economy.
“ We have a fantastic digital and creative sector to rival anywhere else, with a great university to support that, but the world doesn’ t know how big and skilled that sector is. Even many local people aren’ t aware.”
Julie Martin, director, Pie Jackers“ As the owner of a food business and a decisionmaker with Northern Dales Farmers Markets, I’ d like to see the new mayor get behind the area’ s increasingly vibrant local food network.
“ It’ s accepted that such a network can deliver a significant boost to the local economy- just look at the estimated £ 1m that’ s been delivered by Middlesbrough’ s Orange Pip Market.
“ The introduction of any positive measures that make it easier for consumers to access locally produced food could see that figure multiplied across the region.”