Marsh outlines LEP ambitions
THE head of the Leeds City Region LEP says it is looking to secure £200m of funding a year to invest into the region.
Roger Marsh, former head of accountants and business advisers PwC in Yorkshire who became the chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, has unveiled ambitious plans to grow the city region’s economy by £10bn by 2020.
Marsh, who went on secondment as an adviser to the Cabinet Office in Whitehall during his time at PwC, wants the Leeds City Region to secure a major chunk of both central government and European funding to invest in key projects.
He said that as the second largest economic area in the country, it is important for the Leeds City Region to “start flexing its muscles”.
“The target is to grow economy by one-fifth by end of decade, adding £10bn to the region’s economy which is currently valued at £54bn.
“What is coming towards us is a single local growth fund of £2bn in 2015/16. LEPs have to bid for a piece of the pie. And there is a
European stream of funding £5bn into UK via the LEPs.
“We must aim for £200m or more a year to deploy in economically enhancing businesses. And that will be getting back to kind of budget that RDAs had.”
Marsh said he is confident that the LEP model has a long term future. “For this to be unpicked it would be devastating for the economy.
“The Leeds City Region is well placed in Whitehall and Westminster, what we need to do is make sure it is well placed regionally.
“What we have got here for this city region is mission possible. I want to say: ‘Look hear Mr Whitehall, you should want to back this city region because we have a history of delivering and doing it in the right way for our people and our communities.”
