Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)
Following the election of the Conservative
Liberal-Democrat coalition in May 2010, the new government
announced the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). In
July 2010 they wrote to Council's inviting groups of local groups
of councillors and business leaders to come together to form
LEPs.
Following this invitation, a proposal was
submitted to the government on 6 September 2010 for forming a local
enterprise partnership (LEP) covering Worcestershire. The
'Worcestershire Works' proposal for the county to become an LEP in
its own right has been submitted, after consultation with many
local companies, business representatives and partners.
The submission highlights Worcestershire's
unique nature as a county with both rural and urban
characteristics, allowing it to operate in partnership with
neighbouring LEPs while also responding to its own individual needs
and opportunities with appropriate expertise and understanding.
The initial proposal was not successful in
achieving government support and so a further bid was submitted
following various meetings between public, private and voluntary
sector representatives from across Worcestershire to reaffirm the
desire to form a Worcestershire LEP.
Whilst the precise role of LEPs is still being
formed, their objectives are likely to overlap considerably with
that of the Strategic Planning team. The team shall be monitoring
the progress of the LEP in Worcestershire and will seek to engage
with the partnership once formed.
Further details on
Worcestershire's LEP Submission are available on the
Worcestershire Partnership web pages.
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