Business, Innovation and Skills Committee - First Report
The New Local Enterprise Partnerships: An Initial Assessment

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Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 29 November 2010.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Summary

1 Background to the Inquiry

Introduction

Committee inquiry and structure of this report

2 The Creation of New Local Enterprise Partnerships

The record of the RDAs

The record of other existing economic partnerships

LEPs as an opportunity for culture change

Scope for better business and local government cooperation

Functional economic geography and critical mass

Regional variations

The position in comparison with Scotland and Wales

Is there a 'right' number of LEPs?

3 The Functions of Local Enterprise Partnerships

Former RDA functions to be transferred to the national level

Priorities for the new Local Enterprise Partnerships

The role of LEPs in setting skills agendas

4 Collaboration and competition between Local Enterprise Partnerships

Collaboration between LEPs

An ongoing need for active coordination?

5 Timing and transition of the change to Local Enterprise Partnerships

Is now the right time to move to LEPs?

Achieving a smooth transition

RDA staff, and the importance of retaining RDA know-how

Business certainty on funding

Continuity of EU funding

6 Funding and resources for the new bodies

Financing the new bodies

RDA assets

The Regional Growth Fund

7 Powers and accountability

Challenges and opportunities in achieving accountable and fully functioning bodies

The need for appropriate powers

Accountability

Stability

8 Conclusion

Conclusions and recommendations

Annex

Formal Minutes

Witnesses

List of written evidence

List of written evidence in Volume II
Oral and Written Evidence
7 September 2010
14 September 2010
12 October 2010
19 October 2010

Written Evidence

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Prepared 9 December 2010