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Local Enterprise Partnerships. Colin Lovegrove DCLG. What are local enterprise partnerships?. Coalition Programme – we will support the creation of local enterprise partnerships – joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by
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Local Enterprise Partnerships Colin Lovegrove DCLG
What are local enterprise partnerships? Coalition Programme – we will support the creation of local enterprise partnerships – joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local areas to promote local economic development - to replace RDAs • Bottom up rather than top down • Not mandatory • Key vehicle for delivering economic growth and rebalancing the economy • Expected to take strategic lead in local economic growth • Locally owned to suit their locality • Joint partnerships of local authorities and business • Agents of decentralisation
Why Change? • Old approaches have not worked: • Failed to rebalance the economy in the North • Failed to close the gap in regional economic performance • Failed to respond to political mandate • Failed to eradicate pockets of severe deprivation
No ‘one size fits all’ Local Growth White Paper – We are bringing an end to top down initiatives that ignore the varying needs of different areas. We are creating local enterprise Partnerships to bring together business and civic leaders to set the strategy – and take the decisions – that will allow their area to prosper. (DPM) • Permissive policy, not prescriptive • Diversity to be welcomed – innovation not models • No statutory straight jacket - innovate
Reviewing Proposals • Proposals have been reviewed against the following criteria: • Support from business • Economic geography • Local authority support • Added value and ambition • Process allowed for diversity – proposals of varying pace, form and functions
First 28 represent: • 1.3m or 65% of all • businesses in England • 16 million employees or • 68% of all employees in • England • A population of 36 million or • 70% of England’s population
What will they do? • No blueprint… • ..but examples could include: • Vision for economic growth • Strategic planning and integrated approach to infrastructure delivery • Prioritising funding needs / bids • Drive skills provision towards economic ambition • Work with Jobcentre Plus and learning providers to get people back into work • Influence Government policy
Local Growth White paper • Coming together of the Government’s key initiatives which will empower local areas to achieve growth, such as: • Growth incentives, such as housing, business rate incentives • Innovative funding models, e.g. Tax Increment Financing • Planning reform • Local enterprise partnershipsoccupy acentral position
LEPs and rural economies • Important that LEPs represent the diversity of their economy and just don’t concentrate on urban core • Many LEPs see rural economy as important • Network of rural LEPs established and engaging directly with DEFRA • Importance of economic intelligence on rural economy: BIS LEP capacity fund national association of LEPs
Early Conclusions • Permissive, not prescriptive • Vehicle for decentralisation • Unit of strategic influence • ‘The end of the beginning…’