Downtown in Business and Chester Zoo are joining forces to host a major conference examining the opportunities presented by devolution and the election of Cheshire and Warrington’s first mayor.
Cheshire’s Future: Growth, Place and Leadership Conference will take place at Chester Zoo on Wednesday 11 November, bringing together senior business leaders, politicians, investors, developers, and representatives from the public and civic sectors.
With Cheshire and Warrington now in a new era of devolved decision-making, the conference will explore how the region can use its new powers and leadership structures to unlock investment, drive economic growth, and strengthen its national and international profile.
At the heart of the event will be a discussion about what sustainable, inclusive and investable growth should look like for Cheshire – and how economic development, housing, infrastructure, skills, innovation, tourism, thriving communities and nature recovery can work together to create a stronger and more resilient region.
The conference will focus on four major themes: Growth, Housing, Infrastructure & Resilient Places; Skills, Innovation & Productivity; Tourism, Sustainability & Cheshire’s Global Brand; and the priorities for Cheshire and Warrington’s first elected mayor.
Discussions will consider how the region can accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery while creating attractive and resilient places; develop the skills required by emerging industries and new technologies; strengthen Cheshire and Warrington’s £4.4 billion visitor economy and international reputation; and ensure that the natural environment is recognised as an important part of the region’s long-term economic proposition.
Confirmed speakers at the event include Nick Walkley, Interim Chief Executive of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority; Ben Fletcher; Conservative Party’s candidate to be the Mayor of Cheshire and Warrington and Dan Price; Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and Labour’s candidate to be the Mayor of Cheshire and Warrington.
