Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP will be speaking at this free event on 8 March, helping identify how best councils can support skills for business growth.

This free half day workshop 'Working our way to economic growth: skills and abilities to drive the economy' will be held on Thursday 8 March 2012, at the Institute of Materials Minerals & Mining, London SW1. It is jointly organised by South East England Councils (SEEC), South East Strategic Leaders (SESL) and the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM).

Chaired by Cllr Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire CC, the focus will be on debating and drawing up actions that local government and partners can take to deliver the skills needed to support business growth and help tackle high unemployment, particularly among young people.

In addition to Chris Grayling, who will set out the Government plans to tackle these challenges, we have a varied and experienced panel to stimulate debate, including:

• Doug Morrison, Chairman of Solent LEP
• Marc Bayliss, Worcester Research
• Richard Byard, Reading UK Community Interest Company
• Cllr Paul Carter, Kent County Council
• Steve Rankin, CBI
• Bill Fearon, K College 
• Professor Ruth Farwell, Bucks New University

Places at the workshop are limited so please register by emailing hayleyaustin@secouncils.gov.uk before 23 February 2012. 

Copies of speaker presentations will be added after the event.