The woman recently tasked with leading the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) says the organisation can continue to play a big part in supporting the local economy despite question marks over the future of LEPs.
New LLEP head Sue Tilley stepped into the role in March following the departure of chief executive Mandip Rai. She was already a well known figure on the local business scene having headed up inward investment for Prospect Leicestershire and then the LLEP, prior to becoming its boss of economic strategy, then head of business and innovation.
Before that she had a career in fashion and textiles, including her own business making corporate clothing - providing her with experience in one of the key industrial sectors the city and county are famous for.
Asked about the question she has been asked most since starting in the new job she said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥榃hat is the future of LEPs?鈥. There鈥檚 understandable uncertainty about what the future holds for all 38 LEPs.
"Government set out earlier this year its intention to integrate LEPs into local democratic institutions so that there鈥檚 an independent business voice in local authorities.
鈥淭he exact nature of that remains unclear but could include functions such as growth hubs, careers hubs, skills partnerships and strategic planning. We鈥檝e since been managing budgets and shaping outputs accordingly.
鈥淭he situation is very uncertain, both regionally and nationally. We are realistic enough to know that our role is changing and that we need to change with it. But, like Government, we recognise that change will not happen overnight.
鈥淚n the meantime, we will continue providing a voice for business while working closely with all our partners.
鈥淲hatever the future holds, we are confident that our partners recognise the value of what we do.鈥
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has since requested two delivery plans, setting out what and how LEPs intend to deliver through to March 2024. The first was submitted by the LLEP last month, the second is due in November.
Sue said: 鈥淥ur first delivery plan showed how we will utilise our economic function for Leicester and Leicestershire through to March 2023.
鈥淚t positions our ongoing activities within the 12 missions of Levelling Up, as well as our own 10-year strategy to 2030.
鈥淚nclusivity is one of the four pillars of our longer-term strategy. We are very focussed on everyone in Leicester and Leicestershire benefiting from increased economic prosperity.
鈥淭his is becoming ever more important as the cost of both living and of doing business increase.
鈥淔or example, we are funding seven digital inclusion projects and establishing skills boot camps to help. There is more planned. We need to build opportunity for all.鈥
More locally, the LLEP has pledged to work with partners towards gaining the best possible outcome for regional devolution set out through new County Deals - the proposed mechanism for offering the rest of England the same powers metro mayors have gained over things like transport, skills and economic support.
She said: 鈥淲e feel we can help across sectors. We have a strong board which offers a voice for business through leaders from the public, private, non-profit and education sectors.
鈥淲e also have deep experience of delivering impactful projects around enterprise and investing in big infrastructure projects.
鈥淔or example, some of the big projects we led during Covid are now coming online. The improvements to Junction 23 [of the M1 at Loughborough] are well established, the 海角视频鈥檚 first carbon neutral bus station building went live at St Margaret鈥檚 in June, and we have SportPark 4 topped out in Loughborough and due to open later in the year.
鈥淏ut we are also very focussed on people. Our Careers Hub is doing an amazing job in recruiting Enterprise and Apprentice ambassadors from industry to go into schools and help raise aspirations and lead young people to the well-paid jobs of the future.
鈥淕oing back to inclusion, these projects matter because we focus on parts of the region where apprenticeships are not typically being taken up.
鈥淕etting young people into apprenticeships means they are less impacted by changes in the labour market which reduce entry level positions.鈥
Sue has spent her first four months meeting with district councils, Leicester City Council and MPs to set out what the LLEP is doing and offering support with 海角视频 Shared Prosperity Fund (海角视频SPF).
This is the funding pot which has been handed to local authorities following the withdrawal of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Meanwhile, the LLEP is in the early stages of projects that could deliver exciting developments around the advanced manufacturing and creative sectors and cyber on behalf of the government.
She said: 鈥淭hroughout everything, it鈥檚 important that we also remember our own people.
鈥淟LEP officers have been working really hard and delivering projects during a period of uncertainty around their own futures.
鈥淢eanwhile, we are recruiting for a new chair [after Kevin Harris announced in April that he would not seek re-election] and directors ahead of our AGM in September.
鈥淓ven then in that process, we recognise that we need to keep moving forward. Our recruitment campaign for directors, for example, sets out that we are keen to hear from more female directors as we work towards equal representation on the LLEP board by 2023.鈥
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