Birmingham's business community is "overwhelmingly" in favour of
proposals prepared for the creation of a Local Enterprise
Partnership (LEP).
A 9,000-word document will shortly go to the Government
advocating an LEP comprising business leaders and the local
authorities in Birmingham and Solihull.
Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCI)
has been a partner in preparing the proposal from the outset and
its chief executive, Jerry Blackett, said: "The support we
have received so far has been overwhelming but we now need to keep
the momentum going until the September 6 deadline for submissions
to the government."
He is now widening the campaign by writing to nearly 200 key
businesses in the region seeking their backing.
He added: "Our work in conjunction with Birmingham City Council
and others has been received enthusiastically by a wide section of
the business community in the region.
"We are now strengthening that position by seeking wider
support. It is important that the government receives a strong
message of support from everyone in the area."
In the letter, Mr Blackett says: "The LEP will be created to
improve the attention we give to developing the very best
conditions for enterprise and business to flourish.
"The LEP is necessary because the new government has removed a
number of quangos such as Advantage West Midlands, which have until
now played leading roles in helping the economy.
"It is important that we demonstrate to government that the
private sector is very much behind the objectives for our LEP so
we'd like to see if we can enlist your support. LEPs will be
competing for national funds and it is important to our region that
Birmingham and Solihull is perceived by government to be a
substantial and serious economic partnership."
If the government supports the proposal in principle, the group
proposes to establish a Shadow Board by November 1.