21 March 2011

New Local Enterprise Partnership for York and North Yorkshire

I have already written articles for this blog and elsewhere about local enterprise partnerships (see, in particular, "News of Yorkshire LEPs" 12 Jan 2011 and "Leeds LEP Board Members"). By a letter dated 10 Feb 2011 signed by Mark Prisk MP and Greg Clark the Business and Communities Departments approved proposals for a new local enterprise partnership for York and North Yorkshire.

Yorkshire now has three local enterprise partnerships:
There is a measure of overlap between those partnerships. Both Leeds and Sheffield City Regions include Barnsley in their orbits and York is a member of the Leeds City Region and the York and North Yorkshire LEPs. Representatives of all three LEPs attended the so-called "Big Debate on Local Enterprise Partnerships" at Venturefest on the 16 Feb 2011 at which I was present.

The new York and North Yorkshire LEP has announced a number of activities including:
  • investing in rural broadband
  • promoting enterprise and raising expectations
  • supporting food and agriculture
  • supporting tourism and hospitality
  • promoting the care sector
  • investing in York as the economic driver for the region
  • reducing barriers to high growth business
  • delivering rural programmes, and
  • supporting coastal regeneration.
All very worthy though in parts somewhat vague. We shall be following all three Yorkshire LEPs and will report on anything that is likely to be of interest to those investing in new brands, design, technology and the creative industries in Yorkshire and the Humber. Click here or call us on 0113 320 3232 if you want to be kept up to date about business advice, events, funding, professional advisors or news from our region.