Lincolnshire businesses want new Mayor to "fight" for them

Ahead of Thursday's mayoral election, we've been finding out what small business want from a new Mayor.

People in Lincolnshire are set to hit the polls on May 1st to vote for the first Mayor of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA).

The new regional leader will represent Lincolnshire on a national scale, be responsible for tens of millions in new funding, and lead on decision making across the county.

"Small business owners across the county want to see a strong regional leader," said Katrina Pierce, from the Lincolnshire Federation of Small Businesses.

"The mayor is going to be responsible for £24 million a year in local infrastructure funding skills, business support, that's what they're interested in.

"What they want to elect is a strong regional leader who gets business challenges, who sees the opportunity across the county as a place of enormous economic diversity.

"Someone that recognises that and wants to fight for and represent it on a national scale."

There are six mayoral candidates vying for election on Thursday, including representatives from all the major parties.

You can find out more about each candidate and their policies here.

Katrina tells us businesses are less concerned by political affiliation, and more by a leader with a clear economic policy for the region.

"The way the economy is at the moment internationally, not just here in Lincolnshire, things are fragile," said Kristina.

"Our business owners have been under the cosh since the COVID lockdowns five years ago. We've had interest rates, energy volatility, high borrowing rates, it's been a very, very difficult time.

"Now of course they're facing lots of employment challenges as well with increased wages, increased National Insurance contributions and new legislation about to come down the track.

"So what businesses want to see is some certainty that can be delivered on a local level.

"Strong indication and support for start up and growth opportunities for Lincolnshire's businesses across the sectors.

Almost a quarter of jobs in Lincolnshire are linked to the Agri-food sector, however, there's also been significant growth in emerging sectors such as Green Energy.

Katrina believes the new Mayor must ensure locals have the skills to benefit from this growth.

"Lincolnshire has been a place that's typically been underfunded in terms of skills," she said.

"We're a big, diverse rural area which can make tapping into local training opportunities really challenging, and that's something that absolutely needs tackling by the mayor.

"Not just for our young people but for people already in the workforce who particularly want to change career, up their aspiration to earn more, to tap into new sectors that have got really well paid, exciting career paths ahead of them.

"In clean energy, in defence, in cybersecurity, things that are big seats already here in the county that we need far more people to fit into.

So there's huge potential there, but it does need funding and it does need attention and to make Lincolnshire the best place that you could possibly dream of to start a business, to grow a business and to create wealth for yourself, but also for your employees as well.

"So no pressure on this mayor, but there are some big expectations, but hopefully some big deliverables as well."