South West Stakeholders: a bridge between regional government and community
South West Stakeholders represent business, social groups and environmental experts at regional level in the South West. We subscribe to a Government definition of sustainable economic growth as economic growth that can be sustained and is within environmental limits, but also enhances the environment and social welfare, and avoids greater extremes in future economic cycles.
Members of the SWS represent organisations or networks, are appointed by them and are accountable to them. Member organisations and networks have transparent mechanisms for briefing and obtaining feedback from their representatives. There is great added value that representatives of the SWS are able to draw upon the expertise and views of those whom they represent.
Strategic Leaders Board
South West Stakeholders aim to work with South West Strategic Leaders Board. This is a grouping of twenty councillors representing each of the local authorities in the South West. Each county council, district council and unitary council has a resprentative on the Board.
South West Councils
The Strategic Leaders Board is the executive arm of South West Councils. South West Councils explains on its web site the it "brings local authorities together to ensure the best deal for their areas and work collaboratively to strengthen the local voice at regional and national levels". South West Stakeholders aim to bring into the picture the perspectives of a wide spectrum of other groups, for example small businesses, public transport interests, the voluntary sector, environmental bodies, those promoting regeneration and renewal of city centres and so on.
The existence of the SWS also provides opportunities for consensus building across the elements of sustainable economic growth to help ensure that policies, strategies and practices have maximum support and effectiveness within the region.
SWS as a Community Interest Company
South West Stakeholders is a Community Interest Company (CIC). This is a new type of company introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies Act 2004, and is designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.
A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.