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The deadline for submitting local enterprise partnership (LEP) bids has arrived - and the West Midlands could form six organisations, Insider understands. A powerful bid from Birmingham and Solihull has been proposed and could see a "super LEP" formed in the west. However, it could have competition from Coventry and Warwickshire authorities, which believe they will form “one of the strongest enterprise partnerships in the country”.

Those behind the Greater Birmingham LEP plan, which includes support from Solihull, East Staffordshire, Burton and District and Lichfield and Tamworth, recently outlined proposals that it would like to achieve once the RDAs become obsolete in 2012.

Top of the agenda were regeneration plans for Longbridge and North Solihull and advancing the high-speed rail plans. Encouraging more interest in enterprise in schools and a "virtual boardroom" to increase business mentoring have been cited as priorities for the new group.

Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce and Industry's chief executive Jerry Blackett said that the levels of support the proposal had received from businesses has been “overwhelming”.

However, across the region, authorities in Coventry and Warwickshire said they had sent off a proposal to form a partnership. Louise Bennett, chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We have had a very good response from the private sector and that is crucial.

"The government wanted business to take the lead and for LEPs to be driven by commerce and I think that is reflected in the document.

“But the process is not over – we want to engage with more and more businesses in the coming weeks to make sure we shape this for the good of the whole economy. It is a chance for companies at the grassroots to really shape the future.”

Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have also signed a LEP agreement, as have three of the West Midlands’ town halls, creating a proposed LEP known as "The Marches".

Worcestershire has decided to go it alone, while Wolverhampton City Council is believed to have struck up a partnership with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

On creating the LEP proposal with Staffordshire, the leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council told Insider that it would be a “completely equal partnership” between the public and private sector.

He said: “We were mindful of the government’s guidelines when creating the LEP. The key points were the size and scale of the organisation. We think that an area which is home to about 40,000 businesses will be a powerful one.”

The Marches’ LEP will comprise the town halls of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin “to create new jobs and boost investment”.

Worcestershire, meanwhile, has submitted an individual LEP bid. Diane Tilley, director of planning, economy and performance, said: "Worcestershire is pleased to have the opportunity of putting forward a bid on behalf of all local authorities and our business sector to become a local enterprise partnership in our own right.

"It's really exciting for Worcestershire as a county to be given this opportunity to drive forward our priorities and strengthen our economy and ensuring partnerships between businesses and local government are as effective as they can be.

"Feedback for the bid so far has been overwhelmingly positive - we have carried out extensive consultation with stakeholders and local businesses at a number of events. It is important to appreciate that this is a bid by all Local Authorities and businesses in Worcestershire.

"Becoming a single-county LEP will mean Worcestershire will have more autonomy over our future growth.”

Although it had not been confirmed when Insider went to press, Wolverhampton City Council is believed to have submitted a LEP bid alongside Dudley metropolitan Borough Council.