New three-way LEP bid submitted
Three West Midlands town hall councils have joined forces to create a bid for a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Leaders from Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin councils have submitted an application to create a LEP for the Marches area to create new jobs and boost investment.
Roger Philips, the leader of Herefordshire council said the move will give the region “greater bargaining power” when looking for inward investment and other sources of funding.
The leaders of the three councils say the partnership will work with local business leaders to encourage economic growth and prosperity, and cut bureaucracy.
The government has asked for bids to form LEPs by 6 September and will invite applications for investment from a new £1bn Regional Growth Fund, to get them off the ground.
LEPs will replace the current regional development agencies (RDAs) which will be obsolete by 2012.
Philips said: “We know our local economy better than others do and understand what will drive speedy recovery. This is an exciting development, which will create jobs and help local businesses thrive, despite the tough financial times we’re living in.
“It’s a really strong proposal and we hope the government will sit up and take notice of what is a major, forward-thinking piece of work.”
In a joint statement, the leaders of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin councils, Keith Barrow and Andrew Eade, said: “This collaborative approach is a major step forward. It will put us in a very strong position nationally in bidding for investment from the government’s £1bn Regional Growth Fund.
“We have been working closely with local businesses, and the organisations that represent them, and have strong support from them for our joint approach to have greater local control of business investment and support services.”
The three-way LEP is the latest in a string of bids which have come forward from authorities in the Midlands recently. Earlier this month, Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce announced it would join the Birmingham and Solihull chambers to form a partnership.
This followed a meeting between business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire, when the two chambers of commerce revealed an intention to collaborate.
