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29 October 2004

Regional enterprise competition winners announced

Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown today announced the regional winners of Enterprising Britain, a competition to find the towns and cities that are doing most to drive forward enterprise in their regions of the UK.

Enterprising Britain is a national competition, launched by the Chancellor this year, to reward towns and cities across the country that are best improving the quality of life or economic prospects in their regions.

The competition will culminate with the Chancellor announcing the British Capital of Enterprise in Spring 2005. A European-wide competition has also been proposed by the UK and is being considered by other Member States.

Mr Brown said:

“I am absolutely delighted at the degree of interest this competition has generated. To build a truly enterprising culture in Britain we must open up enterprise to all. This competition will recognise the contributions of enterprise and the enterprising throughout the UK.

“We know how much stronger our economy and our society will be if we release all the dynamism, creativity and potential of all our people to become more enterprising, contributing to a change in culture and attitudes by valuing and celebrating the spirit of enterprise throughout our towns and cities.

“Throughout the world, Britain is recognised as a country of enterprise fired by innovation, fuelled by hard work and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. I congratulate today’s winning communities.”

Britain’s Regional Development Agencies from England’s nine regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland individually selected regional winners, which will compete in the national final beginning during next month’s Enterprise Week. A high profile, independent, panel of business leaders will judge the bids and determine the UK winner.

The regional winners include:

  • West Lothian, nominated by Scottish Enterprise
  • South Tyneside, nominated by One NorthEast
  • Leeds, nominated by Yorkshire Forward
  • Blackburn, nominated by NorthWest Regional Development Agency
  • Newport, nominated by Welsh Assembly Government
  • Shrewsbury, nominated by Advantage West Midlands
  • Sherwood Energy Village in Ollerton, nominated by East Midland Development Agency
  • North Suffolk, nominated by East of England Development Agency
  • Belfast City Council, nominated by Invest Northern Ireland 
  • Hatton Garden, nominated by London Development Agency 
  • Slough, nominated by South East England Development Agency
  • Exeter, nominated by South West Development Agency   

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Notes for editors

1. For further details regarding the individual regional winners, please contact the appropriate Regional Development Agency.

2. The Enterprising Britain competition was held for the first time this year and will run annually on a two-stage process. Stage I, which includes today’s winners, has involved a candidate being chosen by each of nine English regions, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Stage II involves each of the regional champions taking part in a national final to be held during Enterprise Week and announced in spring next year.

3. The competition has been judged on entrants being able to demonstrate their contribution to enterprise in business, employment, social inclusion, regeneration, education and the ability to generate enterprise through public/private partnerships.

4. From November 15 – 21, Britain will hold its first-ever national Enterprise Week, celebrating the successes of business today and inspiring young people to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. The Enterprise Insight summit on November 15 will kick start the week, with key business and political figures discussing how to achieve a step change in the UK’s enterprise capability.

5. There are 3.75m small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, accounting for over 55 per cent of business employment and 52 per cent of business turnover.

6. Media enquiries should be addressed to Sue Monk at the Treasury press office on 020 7270 5187.

7. Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiries Unit on 020 7270 4558, or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk.

8. This press release and other Treasury publications and information are available on the Treasury website. If you would like Treasury press releases to be sent to you automatically by e-mail you can subscribe to this service from the press release site on the website.

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