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Welcome and Introduction

Welcome and Introduction. Derek Ludlow, MBE Chair, BLEDP Ltd. Delivering Economic Success in Bedfordshire & Luton: Presentation to the 2 nd BLEDP Plenary Session. David Marlow Chief Executive East of England Development Agency 8 November 2005. The BLEDP sub-region today.

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Welcome and Introduction

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  1. Welcome and Introduction Derek Ludlow, MBE Chair, BLEDP Ltd

  2. Delivering Economic Success in Bedfordshire & Luton:Presentation to the 2nd BLEDP Plenary Session David Marlow Chief Executive East of England Development Agency 8 November 2005

  3. The BLEDP sub-region today • A population approaching 600,000 • Slow relative rates of economic growth • Low skills base, business start-up and growth rates • Communities of multiple deprivation • Strong competition from neighbouring centres

  4. BLEDP in the region

  5. The regional framework for growth & development

  6. Applying the framework in Bedfordshire & Luton • Building on our strengths • International gateway and national transport corridor roles • HE & FE strengths • Advanced manufacturing and R&D • Creative, cultural diversity & quality of life

  7. Applying the framework in Bedfordshire & Luton • Maximising distinctive opportunities • Growth Area Status • Adjacent to London, Milton Keynes & the centre of O2C Arc • Tourism investment opportunities • Transport & aviation – related developments

  8. Applying the framework in Bedfordshire & Luton • Addressing Areas of Concern • Skills participation, attainment & levels of productivity • Enterprise, business start up & growth • Economic Inclusion • Profile & image

  9. Applying the framework in Bedfordshire & Luton • Delivering Change Sustainably • Bedford, Luton & Dunstable Town Centres • High quality design, balanced and sustainable communities • Celebrating diversity • Leadership & delivery management

  10. EEDA roles & functions • Shaping strategic direction • Persuading / influencing • Delivery of four core products Business Support Enterprise Hubs Investing in Communities Regional Renaissance

  11. Business Support in action

  12. Enterprise Hubs in action

  13. Investing in Communities in action

  14. Regional Renaissance

  15. Persuading / influencing: the EEDA/BLEDP Partnership • Core roles of SREPS • Outcomes of SREP Summit • more effective performance management • interfaces with EEDA core products • interfaces with LAAs • responding to Growth Areas agenda • Outcomes of Growth Areas agenda

  16. Delivering Economic Success • Strategic Leadership & a strategic approach • “ It’s the economy ...” • Partnership and stakeholder management • Delivery, delivery, delivery …

  17. BLEDP and the Future of the Beds and Luton Economy Chris Barnes CEO, BLEDP Ltd

  18. Introduction • Welcome the proposal • BLEDP well on way to achieving EEDA’s proposals • Independent Co limited by guarantee • Private sector led • Already adopted SRES (JEDS) • Task and Finish Groups to turn strategy into activity.

  19. Economic Underperformance

  20. Sectoral Comparison • A closer comparison of numbers suggests quite strongly that Bedfordshire & Luton’s performance is generally weaker across the board. Thus where a sector is declining in both areas it tends to be declining faster in Bedfordshire & Luton. Where sectors are growing they tend to be growing faster in neighbouring areas. Where growth has been more mixed, the overall performance still tends to be weaker in Bedfordshire & Luton.

  21. Building a Sustainable Economy • 50,000 new jobs by 2021 • Jobs created by private sector (mainly) • New SMEs not yet started 8,000-12,000 • New Social Enterprises 250-750 • Existing Employers 10,500-14,500 • Inward Investment 23,000-29,000 • Double the capacity of the local economy to create jobs • No change not an option • Business as usual has failed

  22. Partnership Overload • 35 organisations • 6 government • 3 regional • 8 public authorities • 7 education sector • 6 Private sector • 5 Community & voluntary sector • 10 Regional Partnerships (and counting) • 33 sub-regional/local Partnerships (& counting)

  23. Partnership Overload 3 • 10 regional partnerships not included • Sub groups etc. not included • Resourcing – staff to run and staff to attend • Transaction costs • duplication

  24. BLEDP’s Role • Original intention to be one partnership to prevent a plethora • Joint Economic Development Strategy • Task & Finish Groups – turning JEDS into action • Evidence base > strategic interventions > project activity

  25. Adding Value to EEDA • Sub regional strategic co-ordination of EEDA investments, especially the co-ordination of the 4 core products within the JEDS/Business Plan • Linking EEDA/RES objectives to the LAA process and aligning mainsteam funding to RES priorities • Linking the RES priorities to the Sustainable Communities Plan growth agenda • Helping EEDA to avoid having to arbitrate between locally competing claims on its funds by having those discussions within the strategic framework provided by the BLEDP and the JEDS

  26. Adding Value to Partners • One Stop Shop for Strategic intervention • Strategic conduit for EEDA funding • Aligning EEDA funding with LAAs • Framework for collective decisions on priorities • Independent Performance Assessment pilot for EEDA • Fighting B&L corner within region

  27. Long Term Vision • Rationalisation of partnership working • Improvements to corporate governance • Encouraging more investment and jobs into Beds and Luton

  28. Issues to be resolved • Need for adequate resources • Core funding plus • Product management funding

  29. Question & Answer Session

  30. Barriers to Inward Investment Group Members Harry Moore, PULS (UK) Sally Ann Forsyth, Unilever PLC Matt Peachey, Bedford Borough Council Gareth Smith, Charter Architects Mark Smith, Barclays Bank PLC Andrew Duncan, BLEDP Andrew Clarke, Douglas Duff Cheryl Smart, Chamber Business

  31. Barriers to Inward Investment November 8th 2005 • Lack of co-ordinated business support, • The need for vision, leadership and authority to achieve objectives • The poor image and need for projection of the area.

  32. Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005 • One Agency to Handle Inward Investment

  33. Key Roles • A “one stop shop”, signposting towards the sources of information and assistance required 0845 number and coordinating web site • “Account Manager” assigned to each enquiry • “Help with Red Tape” supporting enquirers in dealing with regulation and red tape • “Offering”a sophisticated web-based service • “Lobbying” re. Central and Local Government Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005

  34. Vision, leadership and authority • EEDA/DEFRA should not encourage separate funding bids from agencies aspiring to conduct inward investment activity in Beds and Luton but rather steer them towards collaborating in a joint bid to underpin the one-agency approach. • Before more is committed, existing expenditure should be effectively utilised. • The newly-introduced Local Area Agreements should be made to contribute as they are structured to incentivise Local Authorities to work together with other bodies and agencies to achieve economic development goals. Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005

  35. Image • One Company Separate Brands • Quality of life • Schools • Workforce • Shopping Experience • Accessibility • Events Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005

  36. Change Barriers to Positives • Transportation • Congestion • Infrastructure Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005

  37. To Break down the Barriers and SucceedOne Organisation must be Accountable Barriers to inward Investment November 8th 2005

  38. SME Needs Peter Fraser Business Link & Chair SME T&F Group

  39. New Business & Social Enterprises Group Membership • Peter Fraser Chair • Alex Francis BLEDP • Sarah Hughes Bedfordshire County Council • Frances Browning LSC • Steve Pryor Business Link • Gary Jesson E-Financial Management Ltd • Eamonn Keenan/ University of Luton Karen Wood • Martin Trinder North Beds CVS

  40. New Business & Social Enterprises Priorities • Development of entrepreneurial culture • Better coordinated and seamless business support/aftercare/incubation • Proactive targeting of start-ups • Use of networks and business champions • Flexible and appropriate premises

  41. New Business & Social Enterprises Resources • Improved accessibility • Shared database and CRM systems • Business support website • Account management • Sector and cluster support • Small grants • Premises research/database

  42. Issues For Existing Employers Lee Allen AW Transport

  43. BLEDP General Meeting

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