What Planners need to know from Local Enterprise Partnerships:

Understanding development and improving the economy

Richard Hardesty – on behalf of GLLEP

What Planners need to know......

Local enterprise partnerships: 39 agreed partnerships across England which cover all but

one local authority

led by local authorities and businesses across natural

economic areas

provide the vision, knowledge and strategic leadership

needed to drive sustainable private sector growth and job

creation in their area

The Local Growth White Paper set out the diverse roles

the local enterprise partnerships can play depending on

their local priorities

As a result, they are all operate differently and have their

own priorities.

Introduction to GLLEPThe Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership was approved in the first wave of LEPs and has committed itself to improving the economy of Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. It met for the first time on 7th December 2011.

The partnership was formed in response to a strong desire by the business community and the public sector to ensure that economic interests of the area were properly represented.

Image to go here

Progress and SuccessesBalanced board of 16 operational

Key priorities - infrastructure and

creating the right conditions for

business growth

Engagement with business

Increased operational working between

the three areas

Infrastructure – Lincoln Eastern

Bypass, and A18/A180 link road

Successful BDUK – Lincolnshire, and

NE and North Lincolnshire

Growing Places Fund

Port of Grimsby Enterprise Zone

(Humber LEP)

RGF – 3 successes

Task groups

The GLLEP is working with businesses in 6 key sectors (Manufacturing, Visitor Economy,

Renewables, Care, Agri-food and Ports & Logistics) to establish the following:

The top 5 opportunities for growth in the sector

The top 5 barriers for growth in the sector, and how could these be removed?

What role could the public sector play in facilitating new investment?

How are national policies affecting companies at a local level?

What critical issues would the sector group like the GLLEP to lobby national

government about?

Task Group Findings

The top 5 barriers for growth in the sector were identified as:

Access to finance

Skills

Transport and Infrastructure

Planning

Red Tape

But how does this affect Planners in Lincolnshire?

GLLEP Workshop

The GLLEP Board recognises the important link between timely development and

improving the local economy, so decided to create a platform to enable public and

private sector bodies to look at the current system for development.

A workshop was held in March and discussed the present development process, how things could be done differently and what’s getting in the way of timely development

The aims of the event were to identify opportunities where the LEP can lobby for change and to create a closer working relationship between public and private sector bodies.

Attendee’s (stakeholders) included developers, district and county council planners, highways representatives, utility companies and the Environment Agency among others.

Pre workshop - developer consultation

A breakfast meeting was held where invited attendee’s were given the opportunity to share their views on anything relating to the Development Process.

It was intended that feedback received from this developer consultation session would feed into the main workshop.

In general feedback was that:• Frustrations with the time it takes to get things done• Would like a check list of all the things that need to be considered• Individuals make a big difference• It feels like we try to meet planners requirements but still get rejected• Trying to get utilities to work together (single excavations) is nigh impossible

But how would this feedback be received?

The Workshop

Delegates were introduced to the GLLEP, the background to the event, as well as the Purpose and Objectives.

They then separated into two groups to consider:

• How we do things now

• What could we do differently to the benefit of all involved?

• What would be the next steps

Workshop – the process

Workshop Key Messages

“It was a very positive meeting and by the end everyone present agreed that we can all benefit from working together more effectively.”

“It was agreed that understanding of the development process was poor and that we should attempt to communicate the process much more effectively to all stakeholders.”

“All stakeholders could benefit from being involved earlier in the process.”

What happens next

Share the learning from this workshop with stakeholders

Create working group to clarify the ‘end to end process map’ - publish it to key stakeholders

Consider the creation of a Greater Lincolnshire Planning Charter Mark as a result.

Identify if there are barriers which the GLLEP could help remove

The intended outcomes

Improved understanding of the development process

Appreciation of other stakeholders perspectives

Timely development resulting in quicker investment into the local economy

Government induced blockages can be lobbied for change

Further information

• www.greaterlincolnshirelep.co.uk

• The LEP Network

• The LEP Network is a gateway to news and information that enables Local

Enterprise Partnerships to come together to discuss issues of shared importance,

engage with Government, and share knowledge and good practice.

• http://www.lepnetwork.org.uk/leps.html