Wiltshire joins Great South West to strengthen regional growth push
Cllr Ian Thorn joins partnership board as South West ramps up collaboration on investment, devolution and industry
Wiltshire Council has officially joined the Great South West Partnership, a growing alliance of councils, universities, and businesses working to boost economic development across the South West of England. The move brings Wiltshire into a powerful regional network that already includes Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset.
Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of Wiltshire Council, has been appointed to the Partnership Board. He said the move would open new opportunities for Wiltshire by attracting investment and encouraging sustainable growth. He also highlighted the council’s continued commitment to securing a devolution deal as part of wider collaboration with neighbouring councils in the Wessex area.
“The pan-regional approach offers significant opportunities for Wiltshire,” said Cllr Thorn. “We’ve already worked together on key initiatives in defence and Agri-Tech, and I’m pleased to see this relationship continue to grow.”
Wiltshire’s arrival comes at a time of new leadership across the region. The leaders of Devon and Cornwall councils, Cllr Julian Brazil and Cllr Leigh Frost, have also joined the Partnership Board following local elections in May. They sit alongside council leaders from Somerset, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Plymouth and Torbay.
Two senior business leaders have also joined the board to bring commercial insight and national influence. Judy Groves, Marketing and External Affairs Director at Rigby Group, brings extensive experience in green energy, digital inclusion and strategic communications. She said the South West had a “powerful story to tell” and that working together was key to unlocking the region’s potential.
Joining her is Mike Spicer, Managing Director of A&P Falmouth, who has helped drive growth in the South West’s marine engineering and defence industries. He said he looked forward to helping the Partnership focus on defence and energy security as key areas for future investment.
Partnership Chair Karl Tucker described Wiltshire’s membership and the new board appointments as a “transformative moment” that strengthens the South West’s ability to speak with a single voice and attract national attention.
“With an enhanced Partnership Board, we will champion the Great South West and make the case for securing critical investment,” he said.
The Partnership will set out its next steps at its annual conference, Leading the Delivery of the Industrial Strategy, taking place at Sandy Park in Exeter on Friday 17 October 2025. Government ministers, regional MPs and business leaders are expected to attend.