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Businesses and council leaders are drawing up a list of actions for Birmingham and Solihull’s proposed Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which has been formerly approved by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Top of the agenda were regeneration plans for Longbridge and North Solihull and advancing the high-speed rail plans.

The maintenance of early infrastructure developments - including the extension to the airport runway - was also outlined on the list of actions for the first few months of service. Encouraging more interest in enterprise in schools and a "virtual boardroom" to increase business mentoring have also been cited as priorities for the new authority.

More than 70 businesses heard the outlined plans when they attended a workshop held by the Birmingham Chamber group to provide feedback on the plans to create a combined LEP.

Businesses and authorities which are working to implement the LEP want to ensure that the economic area of Birmingham and Solihull will be the easiest place in which to set up and run a business.

Katie Teasdale, from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is clear the business community recognises their LEP needs to be different – from what has gone before and from other economic areas.

“They want the partnership to make a clear case for how the local economy can grow even stronger if business and local authorities are given the necessary freedoms and resources. Finding better ways to exploit our assets, particularly people, must be at the heart of our LEP.”

A 9,000-word document will shortly go to the government advocating an LEP comprising business leaders and the local authorities in Birmingham and Solihull.

Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce and Industry's chief executive, Jerry Blackett, said: “The support we have received so far has been overwhelming but we now need to keep the momentum going until the September 6 deadline for submissions to the government.”

He is now widening the campaign by writing to nearly 200 key businesses in the region seeking their backing.

He added: “Our work in conjunction with Birmingham City Council and others has been received enthusiastically by a wide section of the business community in the region.

“We are now strengthening that position by seeking wider support. It is important that the government receives a strong message of support from everyone in the area.”

The Birmingham Chamber group said it is working alongside other business representative groups and Business Voice West Midlands to co-ordinate business input.

The LEP will be one of several set up to replace Advantage West Midlands when it becomes obsolete in 2012.

Proposals for LEPs need to be submitted to government on or before 6 September.