Chesterfield has narrowly missed out in a bid to bring a new train factory to the town that would have created thousands of jobs.

Spanish train manufacturer Talgo today (Wednesday 14 November) announced it has selected Longannet, in Fife, as the location for its new factory ahead of the former Hartington Colliery site, between Staveley and Barrow Hill.

Chesterfield Borough Council had been working for months with a range of public and business sector partners to bring the factory to the area, which would have created 1,000 jobs directly, with another 4,000 in the supply chain.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “While we are hugely disappointed that the bid hasn’t been successful Talgo was really impressed with Chesterfield and the bid that was put together.

“Because of this they have said that they are keen to work with the area to potentially bring an innovation centre to Barrow Hill, recognising the strengths we have in terms of skills, education, research and technology.

“I’m also hopeful that the highly skilled businesses in the local area that already supply and support the rail sector can win contracts with Talgo as it enters the UK market.

“We’ll work further with Talgo to find out more detail about their aspirations for an innovation centre and what this may mean for the borough.”

Chesterfield beat off competition from around 30 sites to get to the last two of the Talgo shortlisting process.

Councillor Gilby added: “We’ve worked with 14 partners, including the landowners, universities and companies working in the rail sector, to bring all the area’s expertise and experience to the table when preparing this bid and that is a real strength that we can offer other potential investors.

“The site is already being remediated so it will be ready for other development opportunities. Although we have been unsuccessful on this bid we hope that other manufacturers will see the potential of the site and other opportunities to create jobs in the area will come from it.

“Indeed we have already had interest from other manufacturers off the back of the Talgo bid. Like Talgo, they recognise that the site has great potential for manufacturing because it is in a central location with 23 million people within two hours travel, has excellent road and rail connectivity, ready access to a good supply chain of businesses, with research and innovation facilities nearby and a skilled local workforce.”

The Talgo decision will not impact on Chesterfield Borough Council’s existing plans to redevelop the former Staveley Works site area, working with landowners and Derbyshire County Council.

Councillor Gilby said: “This includes the plans for 1,000 homes, a new £50 million link road, a primary school and opportunities for other companies to base themselves in this area. It is a project that will be good for local people and good for local business.”

Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect said: “I am disappointed with the decision but will continue to support Chesterfield with its ambitious plans to regenerate the area around Staveley.

“The Midlands remains a leader in transport innovation in general and the next generation of rail development in particular, and the arrival of HS2 will be a catalyst for growth both for Chesterfield and the Midlands as a whole.”

Carlos de Palacio – President of Talgo  said “As part of Talgo’s commitment to the UK-wide supply chain, our preferred second facility – in Chesterfield – will act as a catalyst.

I want to pay tribute to ‘Team Chesterfield’ – led by Chesterfield’s Chief Executive, Huw Bowen. The team has proved that some of the most unexpected locations can win through, if they provide a compelling case and have inspirational leadership.

We are developing this aspect of our strategy, and continue to consult with potential partners. We will make a further announcement, once discussions have concluded.”

A prominent figure in the regional business scene has been elected President at East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) for 2018/19.

Kevin Harris, Office Managing Partner at RSM, the world’s 6th largest accountancy and advisory firm, accepted the chains of office from outgoing President Rob Mayo at the Chamber’s annual general meeting.

Chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, Kevin has been involved with the Chamber for many years. He was Chair at Leicestershire Chamber and oversaw its merger with the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce to form East Midlands Chamber.

Accepting office, Kevin first thanked Rob for all his “hard work, enthusiasm and leadership in the past year”. He then said that with Brexit day falling during his Presidency, his first goal would be to “make sure the Chamber continues to offer the help, guidance and support to steer members through the changes that lie ahead”.

He said: “I want to make sure Government keeps the needs of business paramount in its deliberations before Brexit and focuses on the needs of businesses in the wake of our divorce from the EU, whether that is with or without a deal, with or without a transition period.”

A keen believer in the ‘power of three’, he set two other goals for his term as President.

They are to focus on the opportunities presenting themselves to businesses in the UK from Brexit, from the Government’s Industrial Strategy and from the Local Industrial Strategies that are being developed by Local Enterprise Partnerships and to develop improved links between business and education and focus attention on the skills agenda as a whole.

His first official duty after thanking Rob was to announce Dawn Edwards as his Vice-President for the year ahead.

Dawn is Managing Director at Challenge Consulting, a Management Training and Consultancy Business, based in Woodborough, and also at Lambley Day Nursery, a 30-place children’s day nursery in Lambley Village.

Both are award-winning businesses and Dawn herself has been voted one of the top 100 Nottinghamshire Women of Influence. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and was Nottinghamshire Woman Achiever of the Year in 2003 and Nottinghamshire Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010.

Several changes to the Board of Directors were confirmed.

Chair Phil Stanyer’s tenure ends on 31 January 2019. He was formally thanked for his service and was presented with a small gift. His replacement is trentbarton buses boss Ian Morgan.

Ian, who is Deputy Chairman at Wellglade Group, the largest independently-owned group of bus companies in the UK and owner of trentbarton, was appointed Chair-elect in July.

Chairman of Derbyshire County Cricket Cub, Chairman of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, panel member of the Invest to Grow Programme and a former member of the D2N2 LEP Board of Directors, Ian previously served on the Board of the Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce and then the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber.

He was President of Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber in 2011. He resigned from the Board in 2015 after more than 20 years’ service but continued to work with and support the Chamber.

Two Board members, James Bowie and Past-President (2016/17) Geoff Poyzer, have retired. John Robinson and Mark Deakin, both previously co-opted to the Board, are now formally appointed. Directors Darren Clark, James Fry and Rob Mayo, who retired by rotation this year, have been re-elected.

Phil Stanyer, Chair of the Board of Directors, said: “I’m delighted to formally welcome Ian, John and Mark to the Board. They each possess skills, knowledge and experience that will be of great value to the Chamber.”

“And I want to express my thanks, and the gratitude of the Chamber, to James and Geoff for their support and dedication over the years. I hope they will both continue to be our good friends.”

The three county winners of the Chamber’s Business of the Year Awards were then invited to talk about their businesses. They were Jeff Counsell from trentbarton (Derbyshire), Nadeem Raza from Microlise (Nottinghamshire) and Sean Smith and Emily Smith from Michael Smith Switchgear (Leicestershire).

Four businesses that went on from the Chamber’s Business Awards to enjoy success at the East Midlands regional heats of the British Chambers of Commerce Business Awards were then presented with certificates marking their achievement.

They were trentbarton, which won the Customer Commitment Award, Tidyco, which collected the Export Business of the Year Award, Shirebrook Academy, which picked up the Education and Business Partnership Award, and Dalycom, which won the Employer of the Year Award.

All four are shortlisted for national accolades at the BCC awards. East Midlands Chamber has also been shortlisted for Chamber of the Year and the Most Effective Campaign accolades.

The BCC awards winners will be announced at a gala dinner in London later this month.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said: “The national Chamber Awards are a highlight of the business calendar, showcasing the pivotal role local businesses play in the UK’s continuing growth story and I’m delighted that East Midlands Chamber will be represented so strongly this year.”