Regeneration and economic growth

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Government is offering local areas the opportunity to take control of their future economic development. Local Enterprise Partnerships are locally-owned partnerships between local authorities and businesses and play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs. They are also a key vehicle in delivering Government objectives for economic growth and decentralisation, whilst also providing a means for local authorities to work together with business in order to quicken the economic recovery.

As Local Enterprise Partnerships are based on more meaningful economic areas, they will be better placed to determine the needs of the local economy along with a greater ability to identify barriers to local economic growth.

39 Local Enterprise Partnerships have been announced so far. Screenshot of interactive map showing local enterprise partnership areas A map showing these areas is available - see the link at the top right. A full list of partnerships, along with an overview and a coverage map for each area, can be found under Local Enterprise Partnership summaries.

The Government's Coalition Programme states:

"We will support the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships - joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local authorities themselves to promote local economic development - to replace Regional Development Agencies (RDAs)."

Following an invitation to local authorities and businesses on 29 June 2010 (available to download below), to bring forward proposals for Local Enterprise Partnerships, Government received 62 responses. 56 of these were proposals for Local Enterprise Partnerships and 24 were announced in the first group to be taken forward on the 28 October 2010. A further 15 partnerships have since been agreed, the most recent being the Northamptonshire Local Enterprise Partnership which was announced on 23 September 2011. Should you wish to contact the team regarding the work of the Local Enterprise Partnerships please refer to the spreadsheet 'Local Enterprise Partnerships - Lead Government liaisons' available to download below, which identifies the lead Government liaison for each Partnership, along with their telephone number and email address.

The Local Enterprise Partnership Network has been established to enable Local Enterprise Partnerships to come together to discuss shared issues, engage with Government and share knowledge and best practice. It is also intended to be a gateway to news and information of importance to Local Enterprise Partnerships. Membership of the Network is open to representatives of all Local Enterprise Partnerships in England. A copy of the final business case submitted by the British Chambers of Commerce to convene the Local Enterprise Partnership Network can be found here www.lepnetwork.org/the-lep-network.html (external website).

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Local Enterprise Partnership Network by email: info@lepnetwork.org.uk. Their website can be found online at www.lepnetwork.org.uk/ (external link).

Local enterprise partnerships is a shared policy between DCLG and BIS. Additional material is available on the BIS website, see link, top right.