THE CHIEF executive of AWM says the agency will ensure a smooth transition of powers to the new Local Enterprise Partnerships when the RDA is abolished.
Mick Laverty said he and his team wanted to help local authorities and business groups prepare their LEP proposals for submission to the government on September 6.
“It must be an orderly transition – the alternative is expensive. AWM has a whole range of assets that will need to be transferred to the new LEPs and that will take time. We think an overlapping period from April 2011 to April 2012 will allow us to wind down AWM and ensure the handover happens efficiently.”
The agency is organising a conference with Business Voice WM and the West Midlands Leaders’ Board to which councillors and business leaders will be invited to discuss current thinking on LEPs. To be held at the Lakeside Conference Centre at Aston University on July 26, the event could be crucial to ensuring the region’s leaders submit strong proposals to government. For more information, email Ray Flynn on rayflynn@advantagewm.co.uk.
Mr Laverty said that while there may be a number of separate LEPs within the old AWM boundaries, it was vital that they were presented as a complementary package.
“We need a single package of LEP proposals from across the West Midlands,” he said.
“This could see four to six LEP proposals being presented to government on September 6. It’s important that all the local authorities share their thoughts and intelligence and then present a united regional front.”
“There’s a danger that the whole discussion in the region is focussing on structures and processes, but the West Midlands economy needs help now and we need the new regime to be getting on with the job as quickly as possible.”
“There needs to be an orderly transition, and that includes making sure that the knowledge and expertise which AWM has accumulated over the years is not thrown to the four winds.”
