Minutes:
The Chair invited Alex Thomson, Principal Policy Adviser, and Daniel Gardiner, Adviser, to introduce the item.
Daniel began with an update regarding the current LEP review, being lead by Jake Berry MP. Daniel reminded Members that Cllr’s Judith Blake of the LGA’s Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport (EEHT) Board, and Cllr Anne Western of the LGA’s People and Places Board both sat on the review, who were feeding back to officers regarding the Review’s progress. The fourth and final meeting was to be held in the coming weeks, and officers would update Members once the review publishes its findings and outputs (believed to be in early Spring).
Alex Thomson then updated Members regarding the recent roundtable event, hosted by the LGA and attended by three of the LEP Network Chairs. Alex stated that the meeting was productive and positive. Attendee’s at the roundtable finalised wording of the key output of the meeting; a letter to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), cc’ing the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond MP. The letters three key asks are; unified funding via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF); local leadership and greater local flexibility.
There then followed a confidential discussion between members of the City Regions Board and LGA officers.
The Chair concluded the importance not to adopt a one size fits all approach, and to ensure localisation within the LEP Network is at the core of the Review. The Chair also stated that democratic oversight and responsibility was also vital. The Chair thanked Members who attended the roundtable.