Have your say on the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership review

13 August 2018

As a result of a recent national review by the government, all Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been asked to consider their geographical boundaries and governance structures. The aim is to create the best model for them to play an increased role in delivering on the new UK Industrial Strategy.

Geographical overlaps

For the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, the most significant change will be to remove geographical overlaps with other LEPs. Currently there are overlapping areas covering the districts of Barnsley, Craven, Harrogate, Selby and York.

The likely changes to our geography presents two emerging options:

1. To reduce our geography and therefore our size, for example perhaps focusing on just West Yorkshire while continuing to work closely with neighbouring LEPs on economic and social issues.
   
   
2. To increase our geography and size, where we may look to join with neighbouring LEPs that cover the entire City Region and potentially more.

Benefits and implications

Leeds City Region LEP Board members are currently investigating the benefits and implications changes to our geography could present.

To inform this work they want to hear the views of businesses, business representative organisations, community groups and residents.

If you have any immediate views you can have your say:

• by commenting on the online discussion forum.
• by emailing us directly.

All comments we receive will be shared with the Board and will help influence the final proposals and there will be further opportunities to feed back on specific proposals before we submit our response to Government in late September.

Roger Marsh OBE, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said: "As a LEP we have achieved a huge amount over the past seven years not least securing the largest Growth Deal of any LEP in the country, which is now making a real difference to local communities, and elevating the region into the top five locations in the country for foreign direct investment.

"With the UK facing fresh challenges and opportunities as we look beyond Brexit, now is the right time to ensure that our LEP as a body that brings together the public and private sectors in genuine partnership is in the best possible place to drive the economic opportunities that people in our region need and deserve.

"Having recently made our own improvements to governance and transparency with the aim of being the most transparent and accountable local enterprise partnership in the country, we are in a strong position to respond positively to this opportunity from Government, working closely with our fellow Yorkshire and Humber local enterprise partnerships to achieve the best outcomes for the region.

"We are seeking to achieve the widest possible consensus among businesses and partners in the region for whatever proposals we ultimately put forward to Government, so I would encourage all interested parties to get involved and have their say."