Local Enterprise Partnerships

On the 12th June 2010, Eric Pickles (the Communities and Local Government Secretary) announced the abolishment of the nine Regional Development Agencies within the UK as part of Coalition plans to streamline government and find big efficiency savings.

The role of the RDAs was primarily to drive economic development and regeneration in their respective regions.  This structure will now be replaced by LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships), a partnership of public and private bodies (with equal representation) with a prominent business leader as Chair of the board.  The Government has written to all local authority leaders, chief executives and business leaders inviting them to come up with proposals for forming the new replacement LEPs.

The Chamber is working to ensure that the Northamptonshire businesses it represents have a strong and legitimate voice in discussions locally on what the role of the LEP's will be.  The Chamber is working closely with both South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) and Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) to ensure this voice is heard.  In addition, we have a certain clear beliefs about what the functions of a LEP should be to best support business:

We believe LEPs should develop and set a 20-25 year economic strategy for natural economic areas of some scale.  We are of the opinion that LEPs must begin with a narrow focus on improving/ reinventing their communities’ economies.  Too many functions or objectives would result in their failure. And, we are clear that LEPs must have three key targets in all areas, with local partnerships defining those targets, specific to their area:

  • GDP growth
  • Private-sector job creation
  • Economic diversity / sustainability (including the public sector)

The Chamber will keep Members up-to-date with developments in this arena, as they happen.

 

Useful Contacts:

West Northamptonshire Development Corporation
PO Box 355
Franklin's Gardens
Northampton
NN5 5WU

Tel: 01604 586600
Fax: 01604 586648
www.wndc.org.uk

North Northants Development Company
1 Exchange Court
Cottingham Road
Corby
NN17 1TY

Tel: 01536 274 979
Fax: 01536 443 951
www.nndev.co.uk

For Economic Development enquiries:

Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership
Enterprise House
30 Billing Road
Northampton
NN1 5DQ

Tel: +44 (0)1604 609393
Fax: +44 (01604) 627401
www.letyourselfgrow.com