Partnership approach provides key to Derby’s success

The public-private partnership approach the city has adopted to attract investment is “working in Derby” – that was the message delivered to this year’s UKREiiF by the leader of Derby City Council.

In a question-and-answer session with Marketing Derby’s John Forkin, staged in front of a packed Midlands Engine Pavilion, Councillor Baggy Shanker explained why Derby continues to be successful in attracting new investment.

The city council works closely with the private sector to leverage investment.

The council, together with more than 350 business Bondholders, from global OEMs to sole traders, support the work of Marketing Derby’s inward investment team to attract fresh investment to the city and create new jobs – and many were on hand in Leeds to help promote the city as part of Team Derby.

Speaking at UKREiiF, Councillor Shanker said: “The whole public-private partnership approach is working in Derby.

“2025 is a key year with a number of city centre schemes in the pipeline coming to fruition, such as the revamped Market Hall, the new Performance Venue and the University of Derby’s new Business School.

“We will continue to have a laser sharp focus to make it all happen.”

Councillor Shanker was joined in the Q&A by Claire Ward, who was recently elected as the first ever East Midlands Mayor – and will lead the newly formed East Midlands Combined County Authority.

When asked about her priorities, Claire said: “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to shape the East Midlands.

“What we must do now is shape the ambition for our place. I definitely intend to put the East Midlands on the map.”

Councillor Shanker told the audience that he had already had conversations with Claire about Derby’s priorities.

He said: “We have a ‘can do’ attitude in Derby and have gone beyond talking about our ambitions to delivery. Together with the Mayor and other partners in the EMCCA, we are looking to deliver vibrancy, investment, hope and change to benefit our businesses, residents and communities.”

At a working lunch at UKREiiF organised by the D2N2 LEP, a Team Derby table with representatives from across the city’s strong public-private partnership, including investor/developer partners and Bondholder businesses, was joined by Claire Ward to discuss the priorities for Derby as part of the new East Midlands Combined County Authority.

John Forkin said “I was delighted that some of our key business and investor partners could join me and Tammy Whitaker from the city council – their voice in shaping the ambition of the East Midlands is really important and I am grateful to Claire for spending time with them and listening to their views and insights.”

A group of Marketing Derby Bondholders including Cavendish & London, Atkins Realis, Wavensmere Homes, Lathams, Geldards, St. Modwen Logistics and Derby City Council , plus senior representatives from Historic England and East Midlands Freeport, joined a private roundtable discussion on the topic of how Derby’s heritage as a hi-tech city for 300 years underpins its investment offer today.

A full write up of the discussion will appear in the autumn edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine.

While at UKREiiF, Team Derby also supported the activities of its various regional partners.

On Tuesday, it attended the relaunch of the Midlands Investment Portfolio, which contains four Derby schemes – Heart of the City, SmartParc SEGRO Derby, Infinity Park Derby and the University of Derby’s City Hub.

It was launched by Sir John Peace, chairman of the Midlands Engine, at a reception, which was attended by around 300 people.

At the same event, East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward spoke, as did Richard Parker, the new West Midlands Mayor, pledging to collaborate across the Midlands to put the region on the map.

The event also saw the launch of the Invest in UK University R&D – Midlands Campaign, which aims to attract inward investment into R&D, innovation and science.

The campaign will see universities across the Midlands joining forces to create a more ambitious offer to global investors.

On Wednesday, Team Derby supported a panel discussion organised by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership called Focus on East Midlands: Our Time is Now.

During the session, delegates heard directly from the new East Midlands Mayor and senior leaders from D2N2 LEP, East Midlands Freeport and the East Midlands Development Company, who outlined investment and development opportunities in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

They also explained how devolution is set to transform the East Midlands region.