News Careers Contact
Menu

What are you looking for?

The Inclusive Growth Commission

A major step on path to growth

The region that gave birth to the first industrial revolution will set out a roadmap to invest billions of pounds in a new future which grows prosperity for all its people and places.

The Inclusive Growth Commission will see regional and national experts working together to provide knowledge and fresh perspectives to identify and put into action drivers to deliver economic growth across the East Midlands.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward and council leaders across the region have appointed leading organisation, the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), to run the high profile commission.

Commission members

The Commission will be chaired by Andy Haldane, the former chief economist for the Bank of England and Chief Executive of the RSA.

A board of Commissioners has been appointed with a wealth of expertise, experience and understanding of the challenges we’re facing.

These include Marvin Rees, former Mayor of Bristol, Dame Julia Cleverdon, Chair of Place Matters, Sarah Gordon, former CEO of Impact Investing Institute, Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine, Dr Andy Haynes, former Executive Lead of Nottingham Integrated Care System (ICS), Gillian Sewell, Chief Executive of Derbyshire YMCA and Sir Keith Burnett, Chair of Nuffield Foundation.

Why we’ve launched the Inclusive Growth Commission

We want to do the best for our region and so the commission will focus on these 10 key objectives which will help towards our long-term Local Growth Plan of:

  1. Growing our economy faster
  2. Better matching the supply of people from the skills system to the needs of employers
  3. Creating more, better paid job opportunities
  4. Increasing the pace of our economy’s journey to Net Zero
  5. Building the new homes our residents need in the right places and to the right standards
  6. Improving physical and digital connectivity for all parts of our region
  7. Reducing the inequalities within our region that distort too many people’s social mobility
  8. Having a healthier, more work-ready population
  9. Ensuring more residents and visitors can experience a vibrant natural environment 
  10. Enabling more important decisions to be made locally

How the Inclusive Growth Commission will work

The Commission’s findings and strategy will be developed in close collaboration with a wide range of groups and organisations, including councils, businesses, colleges, universities and trade unions across the East Midlands. The recommendations from the Commission will inform future investment proposals for up to £4billion of public investment by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).

The Commission will provide answers to these key challenges set by the Mayor of the East Midlands:

  • What does inclusive growth mean for the region? What will communities feel is different in ten years’ time from a successful inclusive growth strategy?
  • What are the region’s unique combination of strengths? How can it best leverage its economic assets across cities, towns and rural areas to growth these?
  • What are the root causes that sit behind the region’s well-established challenges in achieving inclusive growth? How can the region tackle these challenges to enable its full potential to be unleashed?
  • What role can EMCCA play to effect change, alone and with its partners, including as part of the systems of public services?

What happens next

Next steps

The commission will unveil a first report in Spring 2025 setting out the current picture of the East Midlands’ strengths, challenges and opportunities followed by the full report, which will be published in Autumn 2025.

The plan to develop the strategy was agreed at EMCCA’s Board meeting on 16 September and leaders of all 19 councils in the region were briefed about the Commission at the Leaders’ Summit in Chesterfield on 7 October.

How to play your part

We want leaders and champions from across the system in the East Midlands to get involved to help shape the work of the commission.

Email igc@eastmids.devo.org.uk to find out more about how you can support this work.

To find out more about the RSA, visit The RSA – RSA

Tell us what you think

Skip to content