Black Country set to defy Birmingham over LEP

THE introduction of a Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership offers exciting opportunities for the sub-region, the area’s Chamber of Commerce has claimed.

Mike Dell, President of Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “With a population of over one million people and a strong industrial heritage, the Black Country, together with its world-class manufacturing and engineering base is well placed to help grow the local and UK economy again.

“Black Country Chamber has been in positive discussions with the Black Country local authorities and we fully support the development of a Black Country LEP, provided that we remain outward looking and have clear mechanisms for collaborating and working with our neighbours.”

He said that over the last month, the chamber had been consulting widely with the area’s business community, from small start-up businesses to major PLCs on what they wanted to see from a LEP.

“Government guidance on the role and function of LEPs is scarce; there is not even a blueprint for the size and structure. What is clear, however, is that it must be a genuine 50/50 partnership between the public and private sector. There is a real need to do things differently and to avoid at all costs a reinvention of existing structures or loss of focus through ‘mission creep’. The LEP must not become yet another talking shop,” added Mr Dell.

He said LEPs had to provide a compelling approach to driving up enterprise and innovation. Without this they would fail to attract the high calibre private sector input that it needs.

“We look forward to developing close working relationships between the public and private sectors and harnessing the expertise and best practice of business to drive enterprise and wealth creation. However, we need assurances from the public sector that LEPs will have both the political backing and ‘teeth’ to succeed,” he said.

Ever since the coalition Government announced its intention to scrap Regional Development Agencies in favour of a new system of LEPs there has been a heated debate in the West Midlands over what structure should be adopted post-March 2012.

The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce is keen on a partnership involving itself and its neighbours in Solihull and Southern Staffordshire. Ideally it would like the Black Country on board as well.

After a meeting of its own to discuss how a Birmingham LEP would work, Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jerry Blackett, left, reiterated his view that West Midlands districts would work better together.

He said businesses and the public sector needed to work together, both locally and across sub-regional boundaries, in order to maximise the economic potential of the West Midlands.

“The economic inter-relationships between areas such as Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull and Southern Staffordshire can be combined very effectively when we seek to compete globally in promoting and selling ourselves, and attracting inward investment,” he said.

However, it would appear that Birmingham and Solihull Chamber has now accepted it will be working without the Black Country in any LEP while Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber has also declared its desire to work alone.

Mr Blackett said: “(The) meeting allowed us to get into the guts of what a successful LEP for Birmingham and Solihull will look like and achieve.

“It must create wealth and increase private sector employment. To do so, it needs to create the best business environment possible by maximising value from its activities.

“It will need to build upon existing strengths as well as articulate what makes Birmingham and Solihull distinctive and important, as it seeks to access funding from regional growth funds.

“It’s also clear that it must have teeth and that we need to ensure it has real powers and the ability to direct funds in future. I think there’s also a duty on us to ensure from the outset that LEPs work together effectively to deliver for the West Midlands.

“The chamber will use this information as it seeks to co-ordinate business engagement with the local authorities on LEPs. We are also working with other business representation organisations as well as business leaders across Birmingham and Solihull.”