Insider Media Limited

An East Midlands businessman has set up an organisation to support businesses in the wake of what he calls the "abject failure" of the region's LEPs to secure funding through the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). Tony Bates launched Communicate East Midlands on social networking site LinkedIn and has now attracted more than 300 members.

Bates, founder of Nottingham-based Fast Graphics, told Insider he was "staggered" at the level of interest the business-led organisation had received.

He said the aim of the group was to work for the East Midlands as a region, in the wake of the East Midlands Development Agency's (Emda's) demise, rather than working for specific areas created by the LEPs.

"We are worried about the LEPs," said Bates. "The first round of funding was an abject failure – only one business in the region secured any investment. There's a definite feeling amongst businesses that they don't need the LEPs to secure investment – they can do it by themselves.

"I wouldn't exclude the possibility of Communicate East Midlands helping businesses to bid for funding from the next round of the RGF investment. People are losing faith in the LEPs before they've even got off the ground."

Bates said the East Midlands needed "a cohesive, regional voice, rather than everyone pushing their own individual agenda". He said: "We need one regional body for everyone to communicate through."

Communicate East Midlands now has about 300 members, including former Emda chairman Derek Mapp, as the organisation prepares for its second meeting to be held this week.

As well as being a platform for businesses to apply for funding, Bates said he thought it would be possible to use Communicate East Midlands as a portal for tourism in the region.

"Lincoln's tourism body has been wiped out through the government spending cuts," he said. "I think we need a division to promote the East Midlands as a tourist destination, for people to come and invest in our region."

Bates said the organisation was "completely members led".

He added: "The people who have shown an interest and become members so far are doing it because they want to work together for the East Midlands. They've given up their time and invested in the organisation because it's not a government scheme – it's formed by and for businesses in the region."