Cambridge Ahead is the member organisation dedicated to the city’s long-term sustainable, inclusive growth. It represents over 50 organisations, including Cambridge United Football Club, This Land and Eastern Education Group, with a collective local workforce of more than 40,000 in business, research and academia. Dan Thorp, CEO of Cambridge Ahead, explains how its membership is a force to be reckoned with.
Why was Cambridge Ahead founded?
Cambridge Ahead was founded in 2013 by employers across the city’s economy – both business and academia – who wanted to be more coordinated in engaging with policymakers, and feed industry views into the decisions being taken about the city’s long-term future. Quality of life has featured as the guiding principle of Cambridge Ahead since the very beginning, with major employers recognising that good growth is built upon the quality of life of its residents and workers. Decisions that protect and enhance quality of life will, in turn, enable Cambridge’s long-term success.
How has the group influenced local economic policy to date? What examples you are most proud of.
Cambridge Ahead has helped to make the case for specific priorities such as the new Cambridge South train station, which is currently under construction and due to open next year, or greater funding for careers education and advice in Cambridge’s schools, which has now been enhanced through local authority funding.
Cambridge Ahead was fundamental in launching the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review in 2018, which is still a major influence in local decision-making today and has been referenced as a direct influence on the development of the next Local Plan for Greater Cambridge.
What specific areas are the focus of your latest two-year strategy, and why?
Right now, the evidence is clear – a lack of infrastructure in Cambridge is not only suppressing the potential of the economy, but also worsening the quality of life of our residents and workers. Delivering infrastructure that enables sustainable and inclusive growth is therefore the biggest strategic priority Cambridge Ahead sees over the next two years.
Sustainable transport routes, like East West Rail, and water infrastructure, such as the proposed new Fens Reservoir, are prominent and important examples of the infrastructure we need.
However, it does not stop there. To unlock Cambridge’s full potential, we are currently working with our members, local stakeholders, and experts to scope the energy and social infrastructure needs of the city region into 2050.
Inclusive growth means more people from the local area being able to participate in, and benefit from, the jobs that are being created in Cambridge. Our members work closely with schools and colleges in the local area, through Cambridge Ahead, to support those educating and training our communities to understand what skills are required, and how to access the jobs that are being created.
We are also investing in projects in Cambridge communities to better understand how parents can be empowered to support the choices their children make about education and vocational training.
How do you foresee Cambridge expanding in a sustainable way?
The right infrastructure is fundamental to sustainable growth. With public transport corridors that support rail and buses, alongside active travel routes that support cyclists and pedestrians, we get the foundations of a transport system where people can move sustainably, live a reasonable and reliable journey time away from their work, and crucially we can plan green space and nature recovery networks into this picture.
There are also going to be huge requirements on our energy generation and storage to facilitate a sustainable future for Cambridge, which is why we are also exploring issues and options around this area right now.
Do you have partnerships with other like-minded member groups in the UK?
Cambridge Ahead co-founded the Growing Together Alliance, a group of like-minded representative organisations in different parts of the country to share knowledge and talk together to the UK government. Through this alliance, Cambridge Ahead is working in partnership with the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, NorthWest Business, Business West, BusinessLDN and Business South.
What would you say to a business that is thinking of joining you?
Cambridge Ahead’s invited membership is intended to represent a cross-section of the regional footprint of the Cambridge economy, one that extends far beyond the boundary of Cambridge city itself as those in business know very well. Cambridge Ahead’s members are well-established and influential employers who operate across a wide range of sectors including technology, property, health, education and transport, who share a commitment to long-term good growth.
About Dan Thorp
Dan was appointed as the Chief Executive at Cambridge Ahead in July 2023 having previously been Director of Policy and Programmes for four years. On behalf of Cambridge Ahead’s business and academic membership, Dan leads a programme of research and analysis driven by a focus on sustainable and inclusive growth into the long-term. This involves working closely with national and local policymakers so that Cambridge Ahead actively helps shape the future of the Cambridge city region.
Previously Dan worked at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority as part of establishing the new Authority and focusing on place-making. This included developing the first Local Industrial Strategy for the region and instigating the Market Town Masterplans programme. Prior to the Combined Authority, Dan worked in a variety of economic development and policy roles at Cambridgeshire County Council and Improvement East.
Dan is also a voluntary Board Member at Cambridge-based social enterprise The Edge and a member of the East of England Regional Productivity Forum.
