Can Andrew bring home the bacon?

Yesterday, we revealed in the Mercury's the Business that Andrew Bacon, interim chairman of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), had been given the role permanently.

It followed a long drawn out search for someone to head the county's economic development agency, which involved two rounds of advertising and a row between the city and county councils.

Whether Stephen Woolfe, the senior partner at Harvey Ingram, who had been put forward for the unpaid, part-time role by the city council and business leaders - but whose appointment was blocked by county council leader David Parsons - decided to bow out is not known.

What we do know is that Mr Bacon (pictured), who will retain his role as director of business development at British Gas Community Energy, is a man who is used to dealing with big businesses and politicians. This will certainly form a key part of his role in the coming months and years.

The focus of Mr Bacon and his 14-person board will now be on drawing up a list of key priorities for the city and county. Here is a rough list of what I think they should be;

- Securing enterprise zone status for MIRA near Hinckley

- Ensuring the innovation centre at Leicester Science Park is built

- Ensuring Coalville hi-tech firm Zeeko relocates to the science park

- Ensuring the Eastern Gateway scheme close to Loughborough Railway Station is completed on time and attracts the private sector investment needed to make it work

- A clear plan to tackle the skills shortage which is holding back many growing county firms

- A clear plan for the second phase of the new business quarter, close to Leicester Railway Station, and moves to sign up private sector partners.

Please feel free to suggest your own below ...

UPDATE: July 6, 2011: I've since found out Stephen Woolfe was interviewed along with Andrew Bacon and Andrew was selected because he was felt to have better experience because of his previous role as a board member of Prospect Leicestershire. Only those two were interviewed.