HotSW LEP aims to offer transparency and accountability showing the full extent any gift or hospitality received in the course of their duties. It is essential that the HotSW can demonstrate the highest standards of probity in general and specifically in relation to its dealings with third parties. These relationships are a source of considerable interest and are subject to close scrutiny and also through more ad hoc channels such as Freedom of Information requests.
It is essential that the public can be confident that decisions of whatever nature are made for good and proper reasons and are not influenced inappropriately by the interests of individual employees, their relatives or friends.
If it is likely that a typical member of the public would think that a specific gift or incidence of hospitality is inappropriate, then it probably is and should therefore be declined. It is always better to be cautious and decline any offer of payment, a gift or hospitality.
The overriding principle is that employees/members should not compromise their position by accepting gifts or hospitality and allowing themselves to reach the position where they might be, or might be thought by others to have been, influenced in making an important decision as a consequence. Therefore employees are required to ensure that all offers of gifts or hospitality are registered within 28 working days of the being made, whether or not the offer has been accepted.
Further information can be found with the LEP’s Gifts and Hospitality Policy.
| Name | Company | Date of Registration | Details of Gift and/or Hospitality | Who provided/offered | Estimated value | Date received/declined | Why was it accepted/rejected |
| David Ralph | HotSW LEP | 10.09.2018 | Guest at Bath v Gloucester Rugby match | Bristol Airport | £80.00 | Unknown | Accepted |
| David Bird | Santander Business | 27.09.2018 | Exeter Chamber Annual Dinner | Dr Sally Basker, CEO of Exeter Science Park | £75.00 | Unknown | The reason for accepting was it is a premier business event with excellent networking opportunities both on the table of 10 and in the room where I expect there will be c.500 business people from the Exeter business community. Exeter Science Park are also a potential customer for Santander Corporate and Commercial banking. |
| David Ralph | HotSW LEP | 10.10.2018 | Guest of the Leaders Club Inaugural Dinner, 11th October at Deer Park Country Hotel | The Leaders Club | £85.00 | Unknown | Accepted |
| David Ralph | HotSW LEP | 12.06.2023 | Glastonbury Festival Experience, 23rd June at Glastonbury Festival. | Somerset Council | £60.00 | 24.05.2023 | Accepted |
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership was one of 38 LEPs in England. The LEP was a leader and influencer for economic growth, job creation and prosperity across the Heart of the South West area covering Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.
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Chief Executive
David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.
Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.
David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.