Local Enterprise Partnerships continue to offer regional support for SME’s
29 May 2019
BFPA CEO Chris Buxton reports on recent developments within the LEP Network
BFPA members will know that it has long been a tradition at our Annual General Meetings to augment the formal and somewhat pedestrian process of electing BFPA officers and other third party stakeholders such as the auditors, with an added value attraction such as a topical ‘question-time’ style debate or an informative speaker.
This year’s meeting, which was held at the NFPC on the 15th of May, saw the team welcome David Grimes, the Head of Sheffield City Region Growth Hub. David very kindly addressed the audience on the latest position with respect to the Local Enterprise Partnerships.
Those BFPA members who have read my previous articles on this subject will know that the local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses set up in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help determine local economic priorities and lead economic growth and job creation within the local area. They carry out some of the functions previously carried out by the regional development agencies which were abolished in March 2012. In March 2017 Northamptonshire LEP merged with South East Midlands LEP under the name and aegis of the latter, so that to date, there are now 38 local enterprise partnerships in operation. Further mergers may take place in the future.
Each LEP is associated with a Business Growth Hub. Growth Hubs are the central repository of information, advice and support for business within a defined local area. The aim of Growth Hubs is to provide a simple and holistic approach to business support. Through a single point of contact a business will connect to the information, advice or support it requires.
The type of support each Growth Hub provides will depend upon the Local Enterprise Partnership. The LEP will determine how its Growth Hub operates and its areas of focus. David works for the Sheffield City Region growth hub. As he explained, his Region’s economy has an output of more than £34bn pounds per year and is home to approximately 68,000 businesses which have created and sustained approximately 700,000 jobs. The Growth Hub aims to build on this to create a stronger and bigger private sector that can compete in national and global markets. The city region is located at the strategic heart of the UK and covers the local authority areas of Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales and Bassetlaw.
Nevertheless, the SCR growth hub and its associated LEP’s are not unique. There are similar facilities right across the UK so any BFPA members with an interest in exploring what business and financial support is available in their region should contact their local enterprise partnership now.
Those wishing to review David’s presentation may do so via the following link
