Pictured above: Jerry Blackett
The business community must take full advantage following
yesterday's announcement that the Greater Birmingham proposal for a
Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been accepted by the
government.
That was the message from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group
(BCCG) today when Business Secretary Vince Cable endorsed the LEP
proposal put together by business and local authority leaders in
Birmingham, Solihull and East Staffordshire, Lichfield and
Tamworth.
Jerry Blackett, chief executive of the BCCG, said: "Irrespective
of the loss of Regional Development Agencies and the arrival of
LEP's, the Spending Review announcement by the Chancellor means
there would have been little new money around anyway.
"LEPs provide a platform for the private sector to have
significant influence over mainstream budgets which will still, for
example, be in the order of £15 billion a year in our LEP
area.
"LEPs also allow us to identify a small number of important
priorities into which we can all focus our collective efforts and
resources. Some of these will not require new money but simply,
better co-ordination/joining up of existing efforts/spend."
The Government is abolishing the nine regional development
agencies in England, and invited business leaders to create LEPs
that cover natural local economies. They will have the
responsibility for encouraging economic development and enterprise,
and for improving skills in their local economy.
Mr Blackett added: "We are delighted by today's decision. But
this is the beginning and our eyes must remain firmly on the prize
of making this LEP the easiest place in Europe in which to set up
and run a business.
"The extensive consultation with business means we have a strong
foundation. We must now deliver. We will quickly appoint the shadow
board and prepare for business elections in the New Year.
"We are developing processes and protocols to make this a robust
decision-making body which can deliver on our ambitious proposals.
We will drive key investment in infrastructure and seek to secure
the powers and resources from central Government needed to support
our LEP."