Chamber calls for ‘urgent’ LEP recognition

YORK and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has written to the Government to request it urgently recognises the area’s Local Enterprise Partnership.

The bids for the partnerships between local authorities and business based on the Leeds and Sheffield City Regions were among 24 of 56 approved nationwide earlier this year.

But the Government rejected plans set out for LEPs covering North Yorkshire and the Humber.

York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce president Shaun Watts, who also chairs the York and North Yorkshire LEP Steering Group, has written to Eric Pickles and Vince Cable to state concern that the lack of LEP status is preventing the recruitment of key business people to its board and is also slowing progress in working towards the proposals objectives. 

York and North Yorkshire was excluded from the first round of recognised LEPs earlier this year, with the feedback from Government that the local authorities needed to improve how they engage with the private sector.

A reformed bid has since been submitted.

In the letter Mr Watts states: “It is clear from the work with the steering group (which includes businesses and business groups), and other consultations with Chamber members, that the business community wants to play a lead role in shaping the LEP and driving the growth of our region.

“In my role as chairman, I am working with the local authorities to recruit key business people to the LEP board. However, the Government’s lack of progress in confirming the status of the York and North Yorkshire LEP is prohibiting recruitment, as individuals are questioning why they would commit to joining the board of a body that doesn’t even exist.

“The York and North Yorkshire economy is still in a fragile condition and we need immediate action to drive growth and job creation. The LEP is an integral part of this aim and recognition is needed to allow us to take the process to the next stage.”