Osborne heads first Powerhouse session

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will today hold the first in a series of evidence-gathering events for his Northern Powerhouse Partnership business group.

The sessions are intended to develop consensus among business and public sector organisations on the key issues and priorities to take forward for the NPP .

The partnership was launched in September with a business-led board including Manchester Airports Group, Mace, Barclays and Associated British Ports. Today’s session will see Siemens, EY, HSBC, Addleshaw Goddard and Bruntwood join the board.

Representatives of each of the organisations will be at 2016’s remaining sessions, due to take place in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool.

Osborne, who is also MP for Tatton, declared himself “overwhelmed” by the response from business and civic leaders to the partnership’s announcement, saying that more progress has been made than he could “possibly have hoped for”.

He said of the round table series: “It’s just the start of engagement with communities right across the region. Chairing this partnership is now the focus of my political energies.”

Bruntwood chief executive Chris Oglesby added: “Throughout its 40-year history, Bruntwood has worked with public and private sector partners on the regeneration of the North’s great city regions. Individually each has come a long way, however it is by working collectively that we see them realising their full potential in future.”