13 December 2010
Three more Local Enterprise Partnerships have been approved. Partnerships for New Anglia (covering Norfolk and Suffolk), the Black Country and Worcestershire were given the green light by Business Secretary Vince Cable today. They will join the 24 LEPs whose bids were approved in October.
Cable said: ‘I am pleased that we are able to ask another three Local Enterprise Partnerships to appoint their boards. The partnerships have an important role to play in driving local economic growth and creating a strong environment for business.’
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles added that the three new partnerships were ‘vital new additions’ to the LEP network and would help create a fairer and more balanced economy.
‘Local Enterprise Partnerships are bringing about a new local dynamism and a real power shift away from central government and quangos towards local communities and local businesses who really understand what their economy needs to grow,’ Pickles said.
Last week, MPs warned that the government might need to give embryonic LEPs a cash boost. A report from the Commons business, innovation and skills committee recommended that Whitehall set aside funds to support partnerships that lack the capacity to establish themselves.
