West of England Mayoral Combined Authority

Are you election ready? Check that you’re registered to vote before 11 April – two weeks from today! In less than five weeks' time, on 1 May, the West of England will elect our next Mayor to lead the Mayoral Combined Authority. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQNViiG8

The Western Forest UK will see 20 million new trees planted in our part of the world – and future generations will thank us. Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, is proud to have played his part to help secure our new national forest, building on planting 30,000 new trees at Avon Needs Trees' Great Avon Wood. 📺 Woven Films / Forest of Avon

We are delighted to have been accredited as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation by The Carbon Literacy Project. This award recognises the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s commitment to upskill our staff to confidently tackle climate change through their work, reduce our own organisational carbon emissions, and work together towards a net zero future. #BronzeCLO #CarbonLiteracy #CarbonLit #CLO #ClimateAction #ClimateEducation #ClimateActionNow #ZeroCarbonFuture

The West of England has beaten off stiff competition to become home to a brand-new National Forest. 20 million new trees will be planted in the Western Forest by 2050, because, says Mayor Dan Norris, "of our impressive record of success in planting trees locally, our excellent partnership working, and the huge scale of our ambition." One his first actions as Mayor back in 2021 was to launch the West of England Tree and Woodland Strategy setting ambitious targets to increase tree planting. Since then, the Mayoral Combined Authority has backed the Great Avon Wood and Lower Chew Forest, which the Mayor says have been "fantastic building blocks for today's success."

The sky's the limit! 🚁 Where better than North Bristol NHS Trust's helipad to announce that they and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust are supporting the West of England Good Employment Charter? 62,000 workers are now employed by organisations pledged to meet standards on good-quality jobs. These benefits boost staff retention, recruitment and productivity, supporting higher growth and contributing to a thriving economy in the region. Almost 250 participating organisations have become recognised as employers of choice through the scheme, which was launched by Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, in 2022. Read more and sign up to the Good Employment Charter: tinyurl.com/WestGEC

Thanks to the work of Invest Bristol & Bath, space, and technology giant OHB SE has chosen the Bristol & Bath Science Park as its UK base - boosting our region’s space sector and bringing exciting opportunities. Dan Norris, Mayor of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, said, “Today’s announcement means more high skilled jobs for local people – and that’s fantastic news. OHB SE setting up shop in the West of England is a big win for our region and a real rocket boost for our space industry. I’m really proud that they’ve chosen the Bristol & Bath Science Park as their UK base. We’re proving once again that this is the place to be for world-class innovation, job creation, and serious economic growth.” With strong industry collaborations and a thriving high-tech cluster, Bristol is cementing its place as a key hub for space innovation in the UK and Europe. Read more > https://lnkd.in/ereiJJ7S #WestofEngland #SpaceTech #Innovation #InvestBristolBath #Bristol #SpaceWest UK Space Agency Department for Business and Trade Rebecca Huffee

Bristol Temple Quarter is transforming.   New jobs, growth, and homes are being created around Temple Meads after Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, secured £95m from government.   University of Bristol are investing £500 million in regeneration, as the Mayor and Vice-Chancellor Evelyn Welch saw recently from the top of the new campus on the site of the old Royal Mail building. Latest news from Temple Quarter: https://lnkd.in/eMwgxDAX

On Friday, work started on site for another new train station for the West of England, with the Mayor joined by YTL Developments (UK) Limited, Great Western Railway (GWR), Network Rail Wales & Western region, South Gloucestershire Council, and local MP Claire Hazelgrove. BAM UK & Ireland, who constructed the new Ashley Down (which opened last year), will be building the station. Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, said: “Work is now underway on yet another new train station for the West of England. I’m proud to have opened two new stations in as many years, including the first new one in Bristol in almost a century, but there’s plenty more coming down the track for our region. “My Mayoral Combined Authority is going full steam ahead to open this station too – serving the new town at Brabazon and helping people get to the new YTL Arena Bristol. The West of England is continuing to secure major investment to create new jobs and economic growth now and over the coming years.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eA_N_gdB

Our new Digital Infrastructure Advisory Group will bring together stakeholders to help shape the future of digital infrastructure in our region. Supporting our new Digital Office with the delivery of digital connectivity targets, the group will provide insights that will help enable the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and partners to respond effectively to both immediate and long-term opportunities and challenges across local boundaries: https://lnkd.in/eET5f3vR Why get involved?   ◾ Shape the future of digital infrastructure in the region.  ◾ Make an impact by helping respond to immediate and long-term opportunities and challenges.  ◾ Promote effective collaboration and coordination with key stakeholders responsible for digital infrastructure. Interested? E-mail digital@westofengland-ca.gov.uk

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, led by Mayor Dan Norris, has secured almost £67 million from the Government to help thousands of families to cut bills and reduce carbon emissions: one of the largest per-person settlements in the country. This latest new funding for the region will be match funded by local authorities and social landlords, bringing the total investment in making social housing more energy efficient to more than £130 million. Through its South West Net Zero Hub, the Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) led the bid for a consortium covering the whole of the South West, securing the new cash from the Government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The West of England area is set to receive around £20 million, which will be match funded locally up to a total of around £40 million, likely benefitting around 2,000 households over the next three years. Read more: tinyurl.com/WarmHomesWest