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Meetings with Ministers - Speaking up for Leicestershire

Our Director Andy Reed OBE was in London this week.

Speaking Up for Leicestershire at Westminster

This week I was back in Westminster to ensure Leicestershire’s voice is heard at the highest levels. I met with Ministers Lord Vallance, Blair McDougall and Mistry Fembuklah to raise the ongoing challenge facing our county: securing fair funding while we remain outside the current wave of combined mayoral authorities.

Our discussion focused on the need for clarity, equity and long‑term investment so that Leicestershire isn’t left behind as national policy continues to evolve. I emphasised the strength of our local partnerships, the ambition across our communities, and the importance of ensuring that non‑mayoral areas can still access the tools and resources required to deliver meaningful economic and social impact.

SajeImpact will continue to champion Leicestershire’s case — working with local leaders, national stakeholders and sector partners to make sure our county remains firmly on the map

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Reed - Continues as Chair of the LLB&S Board

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Reed - Continues as Chair of the LLB&S Board

The Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership came together again this week to plan its future direction whilst the sub-region waits for its Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation outcomes over the next two years.

✔️ I am happy to accept the invitation from the Leicester City Council City Mayor and the Leader of Leicestershire County Council to continue to Chair the Board through to 2028 and hopefully the next phase of our devolution journey.

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GCR Reunification Project

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GCR Reunification Project

An interesting evening with colleagues from Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire in the House of Lords to hear about the latest plans and updates from Great Central Railway for their Reunification project. Thanks to Baroness Morgan for hosting us all.

📈 The Reunification project has been making steady progress in the background for years, but it is now reaching a critical point.

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Saying Goodbye to John Byrne - Active Together

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Saying Goodbye to John Byrne - Active Together

Each week I am highlighting good people I meet along the way and some of the great things they are doing to make the world a better place.

🏉 Initially it has been about young entrepreneurs, and community leaders. But this week I want to celebrate the long contribution my friend and colleague John Byrne has played over the last 20 years with the (now) Active Together here in Leicestershire.

👊 Thanks to Tim Garfield John took a risk on the local MP joining the old County Sports Partnership Board as its Chair in the mid 2000's and neither of us would guess that in 2026 it would be John retiring first!

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Loughborough Town Deal

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Loughborough Town Deal

Thirty years ago I helped win regeneration funding for Loughborough. Yesterday I saw the results of the latest £50m investment.

My first experience of Loughborough Town Regeneration was as Chair of the Economic Development Committee in 1995 with Charnwood Borough Council. That is when we won the Single Regeneration Budget, where Martin Traynor OBE, FIH, MIoD and I first joined up on a Committee! Thirty years later we are still going in our new capacity with the Loughborough Town Deal Board as Chair and Vice Chair again!

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Space and Universities Round Table

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Space and Universities Round Table

Yesterday, as Chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership I had the pleasure of chairing a roundtable focused on a vital question: how do our universities step up as the primary engines of our local economy? A great setting at Space Park Leicester for the discussions.

🎓 In Leicester and Leicestershire, we have incredible assets—from space tech and advanced manufacturing to health sciences. But as the national policy shifts toward "place-based" investment, the role of the university is changing. We are very lucky to have three amazing Universities in our County University of Leicester De Montfort University and Loughborough University.. all vital parts of our eco system for innovation research employment, skills and much more !

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Rugby Retirement a step closer!

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Rugby Retirement a step closer!

Just to confirm my retirement from full contact rugby is nearly complete. Whilst I still ran out for the House of Commons rugby team against the Welsh Senedd at The Lensbury at the weekend it was 90% running touch and 10 minutes to be on the pitch to be at the end of the game for the photos!!

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