LEP combines data and mapping to illustrate the future

CAMBRIDGESHIRE business leaders have unveiled a new ‘visioning’ tool that combines economic, social and infrastructure data and electronic mapping.

The Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) showed the new system to 100 delegates from business, the third sector, and the public sector at its summit in Ely.

They used the new interactive visioning tool to stimulate discussions about the future work of the LEP and what it can do to achieve its goals of increasing jobs, enhancing skills and driving economic prosperity, particularly looking at how best to drive growth across the area, and to contribute to the wider UK economic recovery.

Glenn Athey, the LEP’s interim executive director, explained: “This new system takes reams and reams of data relating to a wide range of factors that impact upon economic growth – from unemployment figures and skills attainment levels through to the geographic locations of business clusters and infrastructure requirements.

“By feeding these data into Google Earth we can see it brought to life, and use this interactive system to plot of individual requirements and plan of the future.

“People will be able to add their own data to the system to provide us with a live and evolving data source to help shape our priorities, inform decisions and influence the national Government’s agenda.”

Mark Reeve, an existing board member and managing director of King’s Lynn based Chalcroft (Construction) has taken over chairmanship of the LEP until a new permanent chairman is in post. He succeeds Neville Reyner, who had led the body since its inception more than a year ago.

Mr Reeve said: “Neville has laid great foundations for the future with a new team in place, work is under way to finalise funding agreements for a range of capital projects across our area, great progress is being made on the enterprise zone at Alconbury, and work is about to start on our economic strategy for the LEP area.”