22/4/2009 - Energy Expert to Lead West Cumbria's Transformation : Cumbria County Council

AN ENERGY expert with vast experience in Government and the private sector has been appointed to oversee the multi-million regeneration programme which will transform West Cumbria into Britain’s Energy Coast™.

Brian Wilson, director of several energy companies and a former Government Energy Minister, has been appointed Chair of West Cumbria Vision – the new single decision-making body for all regeneration activity across the boroughs of Copeland and Allerdale.

A former MP and award-winning journalist, Brian has a well-established track record in West Cumbria dating back to his time as Energy Minister – one of six senior posts he held under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, with others including Scottish Education Minister, UK Trade Minister and the PM’s Special Representative on Overseas Trade. Since leaving Parliament in 2005 he has become a director of Amec Nuclear, Scottish Resources Group, Greenrock Energy and Chairs his own consultancy company. As a non-executive director of Amec Nuclear he was closely involved in formulating Nuclear Management Partner Ltd’s socio-economic commitment to West Cumbria as part of their successful bid to manage Sellafield.

He will be officially introduced at an event to celebrate the launch of West Cumbria Vision, which takes place at Sellafield Visitor Centre on Monday (April 27). The event will also give further details of an agreement between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Nuclear Management Partners and Sellafield Ltd to join as funding partners to support West Cumbria Vision in delivering the Britain’s Energy Coast™ Masterplan – a package of regeneration projects which will establish West Cumbria as a major national hub for low carbon and renewable energy generation.

The media are invited to the event, which starts at 10.30am. There will be opportunities to interview Brian Wilson and representatives from founding and funding organisations. To confirm attendance please contact Luke Dicicco on 07799035390 or email luke.dicicco@cumbriavision.co.uk.

Brian will Chair a Board responsible for ensuring projects in the Cumbria Sub Regional Action Plan – which have been identified as having greatest potential to create sustainable jobs, attract private sector investment and boost tourism – become a reality in West Cumbria. The Plan, which has a focus of three years, includes eight Energy Coast projects ranging from the redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital, the creation of West Lakes Academy and building the case for nuclear new build at Sellafield to the residential and retail development at Port Derwent, an extensive Housing Market Renewal programme and the Roman Maryport initiative designed to improve the town’s tourism offer.

The Cumbria Sub Regional Action Plan contains 20 priority projects* which could create 11,000 new jobs and was endorsed as a “market leader” for the United Kingdom by Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform at the recent Cumbria Economic Summit 2009.

Brian Wilson said: “As a Government Minister I became very familiar with West Cumbria’s ambitions to be a global centre for the energy industry and did my best to support them. I look forward to carrying this message to audiences far and wide and to work with everyone in West Cumbria in order to deliver the bold vision that has been established. I hope my own background in energy policy and experience of how Government operates will complement the local knowledge and commitment which West Cumbria Vision is founded on. There is a very substantial budget to work with and every penny of it must be used to deliver lasting benefits for an area to which Britain as a whole owes a great deal.”

West Cumbria Vision has been created to consolidate and build on the work carried out by West Lakes Renaissance and the West Cumbria Leaders Group. It will operate under the guidance of urban regeneration company West Lakes Renaissance and under the strategic umbrella of economic development agency Cumbria Vision. West Lakes Renaissance is being maintained at Board level only to monitor the collective performance of West Cumbria Vision and Barrow Vision – the new delivery Board for Cumbria’s second largest urban centre.

The creation of West Cumbria Vision and Barrow Vision form part of a wide-ranging restructure of Cumbria’s capacity to deliver regeneration based around four new delivery boards**. A board for Carlisle, Carlisle Renaissance, is already up-and-running; while the Eden and South Lakeland Delivery Board will be responsible for leading regeneration across a largely rural area encompassing most of The Lake District National Park. All boards will be private sector-led, with representatives from local, regional and national public sector organisations. In the case of the West Cumbria Vision private sector Board members are currently being recruited.

Ian Haythornthwaite, Interim Chair of West Lakes Renaissance and Executive Director – Resources for the Northwest Regional Development Agency, said:“Attracting such an experienced and high profile Chair as Brian from an extremely high quality shortlist of applicants is a real coup for West Cumbria and indeed the whole County.”

Councillor Tim Knowles, Interim Chair of West Cumbria Vision and Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for the Environment and Economy, said: "I am delighted Brian has been appointed Chair of the West Cumbria Vision Board. Five months ago I was given the task of chairing the Board to oversee the development of West Cumbria Vision, and I’m proud to have been able to play a part in doing so and pleased that I’ll be handing over the reins to Brian. He is joining the Board at an important time for West Cumbria and brings with him a wide range of experience and expertise to the role. I am confident he will effectively lead the Board in the years ahead and play an important role in making our Britain’s Energy Coast™ ambitions a reality."

Roger Liddle, Chairman of Cumbria Vision, said: ““The appointment of Brian shows people of great substance are prepared to put their weight behind our ambitious plans for West Cumbria – Britain’s Energy Coast™. The pressing need to address the challenges of climate change and energy security has gifted West Cumbria the chance to become a thriving and robust energy-based economy of huge national and international importance. To achieve this we need strong leadership and in depth knowledge of the energy industry and West Cumbria’s ambitions – something Brian has in abundance thanks to his time spent within Government and the private sector. Utilising his experience to further strengthen the partnerships already established in West Cumbria will increase the drive to deliver real and tangible results which businesses and communities can not only see but feel.”