Drawing on all resources?

Article

This report looks at the involvement of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and social enterprises in the work of LEPs, and focuses on the North of England, as this part of the country has the greatest need for effective LEPs.

The government is committed to rebalancing the economy, to be less reliant on the public sector, financial services and growth driven by the greater south east of England. Central to delivering this aspiration are the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), which are being formed by local government, business and other stakeholders. At the same time the Regional Development Agencies, which the previous government created to promote economic development, are being abolished.

If LEPs are to fulfil their remit of driving economic growth, it is essential that they draw fully on the resources available to them - whether financial, intellectual or practical. This is particularly important in the current context of reduced public spending.

Published in partnership with ACEVO

Related items

  1. A photo of police officer and a community support officer walking down a quiet street in Kent

    The legitimacy trap

    Why a more active state needs better statecraft.
  2. A photograph from below of the grand Manchester town hall building on a sunny day against a blue sky

    On home ground: The future of devolution

    Andy Burnham has pledged to deliver “the biggest rebalancing of power the country has ever seen”. The key task for the new government is putting this into action.
  3. A photo of a family walking along a residential street: a dad holds a toddler in his arms with a son and daughter on either side of him

    The first 100 days: A blueprint for renewal

    The choices that the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, makes in the first 100 days must demonstrate that he is on the side of ordinary people.