This report provides an update on the achievements of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), its current priority activities and board membership.

The Committee received an update on the achievements of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), its current priority activities and board membership.

The Senior Solicitor made a statement that given the dispute between the LEP and the Council with regard to the determination and clawback of the South Wye Transport Package funding it was considered that it would not be appropriate for the Committee to discuss matters set out at paragraphs 42-43 of the report.

The Head of Economic Development introduced the report. 

The Chair of the LEP made some introductory remarks.

The Chief Executive of the LEP then gave a presentation, as published as an appendix to the agenda papers.

The committee discussed the report by the LEP asking a number of questions to which responses were given.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)   the update from the Marches LEP including current priorities and projects be noted;

(b)   the executive be recommended that:

(1)   the LEP be asked to bear in mind the importance of having regard to the needs of the market towns and the rural areas when considering allocating funding for projects;

(2)   the LEP be encouraged in its stated intention to revisit its Strategic Economic Plan and other policies to ensure that they are sustainable and resilient having regard, for example, to the impact of transport schemes in the context of the declared climate emergency;

(3)   the LEP be asked to consider how it can improve its engagement with creative industries;

(4)   the LEP be asked to consider appointing a creative industries champion to the LEP Board;

(5)   the LEP Board be recommended to appoint a rural and market Towns Champion;

(6)   the LEP be asked to bid for funding to address the impacts of flooding, noting that these are of a significance comparable to the impacts of Covid 19 for which the Government has provided funding;

(c)   the Executive considers how it can facilitate better engagement between the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership and the LEP;

(d)   the Executive work with the LEP to make representations for there to be a small towns LEP group along the lines of the national rural LEP Group;

(e)   the Executive ensures that it has a number of approved prioritised projects available for submission to the LEP in order to take advantage of funding opportunities when they arise;

(f)    the Committee establishes a task and finish group to review the processes in place to deliver projects, ensuring that the reasons that have led to delays in the past on council managed projects have been addressed and that the current processes are fit for purpose; and

(g)    the LEP be asked to report to the Committee on the level of inward investment achieved.