Regional Enterprise Council Vice Chair:

James Wood, CEO, Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network

The Regional Enterprise Council (REC) advises the City Region Deal’s decision-making body, the Joint Committee, on the delivery of projects across the city region. We represent business, social enterprise and the wider third sectors across the region. In directly participating on the Joint Committee we help to ensure that the benefits from the Deal support our shared ambition for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the city region.

The REC also has representation on the City Region Deal’s Elected Member Oversight Committee which is shaping the future ambition, strategic direction and aspirational goals for ESES, and influenced the production of the Regional Prosperity Framework.

The City Region Deal has five themes: Innovation, Employability and Skills, Transport, Culture and Housing. Many aspects are of interest to businesses including the data driven innovation programme, Sheriffhall grade separated junction and employability projects enhancing skills and career opportunities particularly for the disadvantaged.   

 REC members have a broad range of experience and expertise and wide networks to best represent business, social enterprise and the third sectors across the city region. The City Region Deal’s Economic Recovery response to the COVID-19 challenge has received active contributions from our membership. REC members have helped shape the City Region Deal’s Benefits Realisation Plan, ensuring that the Deal’s inclusive growth focus to reduce inequality and increase wellbeing is at the forefront of its ambition. We want to ensure, for instance, that the strategic sites for housing developments are key areas of change and growth with sustainable placemaking at their heart. As many construction opportunities as possible should go to local people with the help of the Housing and Construction Innovation Skills Gateway.