LEP chief hits back at ‘bureaucratic’ claim

A WEST Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership has hit back at an independent thinktank which claimed its size could make the body bureaucratic.

Coventry and Warwickshire LEP was singled out for criticism by Centre for Cities last week because it had “14 associated focus groups with at least 160 people involved”.

The charity argued that growing to such a size “could add a level of bureaucracy and process that might slow decision-making”.

But the LEP’s chairman Denys Shortt said this level of engagement in the LEP represented the energy and commitment of local business leaders to their area.

“Our LEP is a democracy not bureaucracy….(one) that has purposely avoided establishing ourselves as a government quango and have drawn together the resource of businesses and the public sector in order to efficiently create a small, focused delivery team working to the chairman and board,” he said.

“A key part of the work of the LEP is to engage and listen to the needs, issues and opportunities of local businesses, and explore what we can do to support.

“We have developed a range of focus groups to do just this, which bring together a number of businesses who want to be involved along with relevant public sector agencies.

“This has all been done against the backcloth of a clear strategic plan for the area over the next five years.”

The public/private sector business development body was one of 24 approved in the first tranche by Business Secretary Vince Cable MP at the end of October last year.

Centre for Cities’ comments were made last week after it released a report – ‘Cause célèbre or cause for concern?’ – examining progress made in the first 12 months of the LEPs, the bodies set to replace regional development agencies such as Advantage West Midlands.

Coventry and Warwickshire and Leeds City are the only two LEPs from this first group to have published their full strategies, according to the report.