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SEMLEP Chair, Dr Ann Limb, addresses Ministers about strong track record of Local Enterprise Partnership delivery

23 October 2017

LEP Chairs gathered in London last Wednesday for a dinner, joined by five government Ministers, to review the impact of Local Enterprise Partnerships so far and focus on their ambitions for the future.

 Dr Ann Limb CBE DL, Chair of SEMLEP was invited to welcome the Ministers. Ann gave a rousing speech, spelling out the strong track record of delivery by LEPs, the passionate leadership demonstrated in helping local business communities to succeed and, the continuing ambition of LEPs to make a significant impact to drive growth and prosperity.

To date, LEPs have invested £9bn Local Growth Fund (LGF) drawing in £7bn of private sector investment. Collectively, LEPs have set out in their Strategic Economic Plans ambition to:

  • Deliver 250,000 businesses;
  • Create 750,000 new jobs;
  • Help 600,000 learners improve their skills;
  • Start over 350,000 new homes;
  • Lever £17bn of private sector investment.

Ann asked Government to consider a more integrated funding mechanism to enable investment on a pan-government basis, with flexibility to support capital and revenue projects. She also highlighted the importance of certainty of core funding for LEPs so that they can maintain a strong team to help deliver their ambitions.

Ann invited Whitehall departments with policy responsibilities for driving growth to work more closely together with the LEP network and emphasised that LEPs understand the need to handle public funds in an open and transparent manner.

Ministers have committed to work with LEPs so they have the tools needed continue to build a strong enterprise partnership network that can genuinely drive change and support all local economies to capitalise fully on their different strengths and opportunities.

Ministers present at the dinner were Margot James MP, Minister for Small Business, Jake Berry MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth, Andrew Jones MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work and Damian Hinds MP, Minister of State for Employment.

SEMLEP is due to launch the 2017 Strategic Economic Plan for the South East Midlands on 8th November. We have an LGF programme of £265m, which will deliver 36 projects including skills, infrastructure and innovative private sector projects to deliver economic growth.

 

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