Downtown Toyota City (Picture details bottom of the page)
Despite Covid-19 and many of the planned international exchanges, trade shows and projects becoming unable to go ahead during 2020/21, communication between Derbyshire and Toyota City continued, and the decision was taken that webinars to discuss themes of the Toyota City Partnership Board would be a good way to develop the link. The first Webinar took place on 17 November 2021, based on the theme of Low Carbon. Speakers were chosen to showcase relevant initiatives and to kickstart environmental collaboration projects between the two regions.
Derbyshire and Toyota City have been International Partners since 1998, when an agreement was signed between Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, South Derbyshire District Council and Toyota City Council.
Over the years the two regions have developed a very strong working relationship, and in 2018 the Toyota City Partnership Board (TCPB) was established to bring together key economic and cultural stakeholders to work alongside the four councils.
For the first Webinar Speakers from Derbyshire included senior representatives from Derbyshire County Council, Derby University, Derby City Council, The National Forest and TMUK. Speakers from Japan were senior representatives from Toyota City Council.
Future plans are to hold webinars to share best practice between Derbyshire and Toyota City on the five themes of the TCPB; Economy, Environment, Education, Culture & Sport.
Low Carbon Webinar Derbyshire Speakers:
| NAME | ORGANISATION | TITLE & PRESENTATION |
| Cllr Tony King | Derbyshire County Council | Cabinet Member for Clean Growth & Regeneration (Chair of TCPB)
Opening & Closing Remarks |
| Caroline Toplis | Derbyshire County Council | Programme Manager for Climate Change
Overview of DCC Climate Change Policy |
| Prof. Chris Bussell | University of Derby | Pro Vice-Chancellor/Dean
DUST Derby Urban Sustainable Transport |
| John Everitt | National Forest | Chief Executive Officer
TIMBER Festival |
| Verna Bayliss | Derby City Council | Strategic Partnerships Manager
T-Dream |
| Rob Gorton | TMUK | Senior Manager Corporate Planning & External Affairs
TMUK’s approach to sustainability |
Low Carbon Webinar Toyota City Speakers:
| NAME | ORGANISATION | TITLE & PRESENTATION |
| Tadahiro Kasuya | Toyota City Council | Director of Internationalization Promotion Division
Opening & Closing Remarks |
| Ryo Aikawa | Toyota City Council | Chief of Environmental Policy Division
Overview of TCC Environmental Policy |
| Yuki Maeda | Toyota City Council | Senior Staff of Advanced Promotion Division
Ecoful Town Project |
| Kazunori Shima | Toyota City Council | Chief of Transportation Policy Division
Hydrogen Transportation |
TCPB Members:
- Toyota City Council
- Derbyshire County Council
- Derby City Council
- South Derbyshire District Council
- TMUK
- East Midlands Chamber of Commerce
- University of Derby
- Burton & South Derbyshire College
- Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire
- The National Forest
- Derby College
- Derby Football Club
Presentations from the seminar can be seen HERE (LINK)
Picture by commons.wikimedia.org User:Tomio344456 via Creative Commons Licence 4.0
