On 29 June 2010, The RT Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, and The RT Hon Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, wrote to Local Authority Leaders and Business Leaders to invite sub-regions to form Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the place of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). LEPs are to be charged with ‘[providing] the strategic leadership … to set out local economic priorities’ and are ‘central’ to the Coalition’s ambition to ‘rebalance the economy towards the private sector’.
LEPs will be expected to have a compelling local strategic vision; align funding; and, to provide advocacy for the business environment. They will have to be supported by at least two upper tier authorities. Their Boards will be expected to derive 50 per cent membership from businesses with a strong track record in the area and each LEP Board will normally have a private sector Chair. LEP functions could include: Enterprise and business support; investment in local economic infrastructure; employment and worklessness; skills; planning; transport; housing; and, tourism. There is no presumption that every LEP will have the same functions, or that every area will be covered by a LEP. Dr Cable MP has, however, suggested that he expects ‘vulnerable’ areas to have LEPs. Areas like trade and investment, sector support and European funded programmes which were previously administered by RDAs may return to Whitehall.
BCI Position
The Birmingham Chamber Group must play a leading role in the development of LEPs in the West Midlands, particularly with regards to the local economies we serve in Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country and Southern Staffordshire. We believe our involvement is crucial with respect to establishing the strategy and vision for the LEP (in terms of how we need local economic growth to be supported); establishing and defining the function which the LEP controls and influences; determining the functional economic geography of each LEP; establishing the correct governance for the LEP; and, in terms of direct involvement with delivery, as appropriate.
The Chamber is consulting with members, local authorities and stakeholders to determine our preferences as to Birmingham, Southern Staffordshire and Solihull’s LEP(s). The process is highly fluid and we will seek to document our stance and preference more clearly over the coming weeks. We are committed to ensuring that LEPs affecting our members focus upon three key tasks: to deliver GDP growth; private-sector job creation; and, economic sustainability (diversity) in our localities. We will lobby in favour of the structures and geographic areas which will best support these ambitions.
BCI Activities
Business leaders and local authority leaders have until 6th September 2010 to make a formal bid to Government which captures our aspirations for LEPs as well as our preference to geographic coverage and structures. The Chamber is working with the West Midlands Chambers as well as relevant local authorities and other stakeholders to submit a West Midlands bid which will detail our preferences as to geographic coverage, structures and most importantly, detailed strategy preferences to that timetable. We will seek to consult our members as part of this process.
Local Enterprise for Birmingham and Solihull: Business Consultation
The Birmingham Chamber Group is working with Local Authorities and businesses across Birmingham, Solihull and Southern Staffordshire to develop a proposal for a Local Enterprise Partnership which will support economic growth in the wake of the abolition of Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency. Chamber members have helped to shape the proposition and we are confident we will have a compelling proposal to submit to Government on the 6th September.
Thank you for your views on the draft proposal. Please click here to access the two page-headline summary of the Birmingham and Solihull LEP proposal; click here for a diagram showing our LEPs aims and objectives; and, click here for the latest draft of our full submission to Government. We would welcome any comments you have on our proposals. Due to the tight timescales involved (proposals need to be submitted by 6th September), it may not be possible to incorporate all your feedback at this stage, but it will certainly be useful as we develop our proposals in the months ahead. If you would like to learn more about the LEP or to discuss any of the above, please contact Katie Teasdale at k.teasdale@birminghamchamber.org.uk . To show your support for the Birmingham and Solihull LEP, please pledge at: http://bit.ly/aBz3hx . Your interest and contribution to this work is much appreciated.
Katie Teasdale is your Policy Manager for Local and Regional Government. If you have an issue on this subject you would like to discuss, call 0121 450 4204 or email k.teasdale@birminghamchamber.org.uk.