The document discusses the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the UK beginning in 2010. LEPs were established to give local communities and businesses more power over local economic growth decisions. They consist of partnerships between local authorities and business representatives within an economic region. Each LEP was required to develop a Strategic Economic Plan to guide local investment priorities and negotiate funding deals with the national government. LEPs now have authority to determine investment in transport, buildings and facilities to support their economic growth strategies.

1. Local Enterprise Partnerships & Local Growth
Lisa Simmonds
Principal Transport Policy Officer
East Sussex County Council
21st January 2015
Slide 2
May 2010 saw a major change in economic policy – in terms of support for local
economic growth
Result of election and a newly formed coalition government – who supported policy
of ‘Localism’ and ‘The Big Society’
So shift away from central government making the decisions on how and what
economic growth should look like at a local level, regional tier of government and
regional government agencies abolished and decided that needed to give the
power to local communities and business, to enable them to tailor their approach for
economic growth to local circumstances
So October 2010 - government published local growth white paper, ‘Realising every
places potential’ – this first time that the potential development of LEP’s mentioned
and their potential role – almost alternative level of regional government - but at a
sub-regional level – local authorities asked to organise themselves into LEP’s, that
reflected the economic geography of the country.
March 2013 - Lord Heseltine review of paper – set out government’s vision for local
growth – and this confirmed the government’s commitment to negotiating a Growth
Deal, so funding, with every LEP.
So LEP’s had arrived ……
Slide 3
Partnership between local authorities, (county councils and unitary) & business
representatives - based on the economic geography of an area – providing strategic
leadership in their areas to set out local economic priorities” and “to create the right
environment for business and growth”.
Complicating factor – that LA’s could be part of more than one LEP, based on the
economic needs of their area – explain example – i.e. ESCC
Governance – decision making determined by LEP Board – made up of
business and local authority representatives
The majority of LEP’s have Local Transport Board’s – albeit some have abolished
their Boards and absorbed the responsibilities into the LEP - to help determine
priorities and allocation of funding to transport schemes.
Slide 4
39 LEP’s across the country, ones coloured blue, demonstrate where LA in more
than one LEP

2. Slide 5
So with LEP’s having authority to decide what the priorities should be for investment
in roads, buildings and facilities in the area, this needed to be underpinned by a clear
policy and strategy for growth in their area.
Therefore LEP’s were required by government to develop ambitious, multi-year
growth strategies over a six year period, for their areas – these referred to as
‘Strategic Economic Plans’ – these had to have regard to policy on growth, including
housing, transport, skills, industry and business, flooding and rural economies for the
entire LEP area, so each local authority within the LEP were required to provide
input.
LA’s & LEP not starting from scratch; existing LA’s strategies – Local Transport
Plans, Local Plans (Spatial plans) & Local Economic Strategies informed
development of the SEP’s – but SEP’s look to accelerate the growth, jobs and
housing building identified in these documents.
The SEP also needed to propose schemes and solutions to support local economic
growth, which had a strong base of evidence, provided value for money, and
included strong partnership between local authorities and business for delivery, and
you may have had the opportunity to input into this.
So LA’s put forward schemes for investment in Transport infrastructure, new
business infrastructure and education & skills.
Slide 6
I mentioned in an earlier slide that the government had committed to providing
funding to every LEP –through a Local Growth Deal, and LEP’s used the SEP’s to
negotiate a Local Growth Deal for their area with government.
Government has indicated that £12bn of funding will be available over period
2015/16 to 2020/21. This is available to deliver transport infrastructure and schemes
which help to unlock jobs and homes – site infrastructure to enable development to
start for example – and lever in further private sector funding
So the Government and LEP’s negotiated Growth Deals on the basis of the content
of their SEP’s, and these were announced in July 2014.
These were unique to the economic focus of each of the LEP’s, and focussed
funding on those areas that would provide the most value for money and impact on
local economic growth.
Whilst the funding allocations for each of the LEP’s has been announced, LA’s are
required to submit robust business cases to their LEP’s?, to release the funding.
Local Growth Funding is just one of the investment options available to Local
Enterprise Partnerships. Local Enterprise Partnerships are required to draw on a
range of resources, i.e. private sector investment;
local authority funding, support from the Department for Transport’s Local
Sustainable Transport Fund, match funding from other local partners, such as
Housing Associations, universities and colleges.
Slide 7
If you are not aware of your local LEP and the contents of their SEP, strongly
suggest familiarising yourself with this, because of close linkages with transport,
skills and education.

3. Government has not allocated all the £12bn initially announced as being available
through the Local Growth Deals.
Therefore, there are likely to be future rounds of Local Growth Fund capital funding
available.
It may be useful to contact your local LEP contact to find out if a bid can be put
forward for Local Growth Deal capital funding. In making your case as strong as
possible, as you will be competing with other transport and non-transport schemes,
you will need to demonstrate how W2W supports economic growth in the LEP area –
outputs in terms of improving access to jobs, and training and education in particular
will an important area to focus on – and the value for money – benefits relative to the
cost/funding being sought - that the scheme can bring.
If not funding available, still important that they are aware of your scheme, in case
additional/future funding becomes available, which puts you in a stronger position to
bid.
You may have been part of the bidding process in your local authority for LSTF
2015/16 for revenue funding, where you could bid for revenue funding to support
W2W schemes. The DfT bidding guidelines clearly outlined the need to align your
LSTF bid to your local LEP, SEP, and the bid needed to be signed off by your local
LEP’s.
The LSTF capital funding for sustainable transport infrastructure was also included in
the Local Growth Fund, £100m, therefore need for LSTF revenue bid to be clearly
aligned to LEP SEP.