GFirst LEP being disbanded
March 7, 2024•324 words
Our Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirstLEP, is finally being disbanded.
I wish they had spent as much effort developing their Industrial Strategy (which has been in draft form since 2019) as they have put into their "final hurrah" knees-up for 200 local dignitaries.
The LEP been a total failure for small and medium sized businesses in the county from day one. Unelected, yet overseeing £500m+. of investment in the county.
Their draft Industrial Strategy encompassed just about every possible business sector in the county that you can imagine.
A strategy underpinned by the input of 5000 young people and focused on cybertech, agri-tech, and high-tech engineering sectors.
The strategy claimed to have collected evidence from all corners of the county. Yet, to the best of my knowledge, no market town data had ever collected since 2006 by anyone in my district. GFirst LEP knew absolutely nothing about the market towns in the County.
Market towns are the beating hearts of each community. Each settlements high street has numerous micro-businesses serving the needs of local residents and providing much needed local and flexible employment. But, the only mention of our town centres are relegated to page 82 of their 86 page report.
Whilst acknowledging the prospect of a decline in retail they merely stated that; we have to adapt to this changing landscape with creative approaches to the use of premises in urban centres, including increased residential use as well as creating urban centre experiences beyond retail, and embracing flexible ways of working.
Additionally, when published, their strategy also served to undermine both the County Council's and District Council's 2030 nett carbon targets.
Frankly, I'm glad it's gone. Unelected and unaccountable.
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