Member Article

What's ahead for Cheshire and Warrington, asks LEP

Businesses from Cheshire and Warrington gathered last week to discuss ways to kickstart economic growth in the area with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Key partners and members of the business community met at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington, after the Government asked the LEP to produce a robust plan that will support growth across Cheshire and Warrington.

Representatives from the LEP and the business community discussed how they could use national and EU funding to drive the economy faster and further.

Christine Gaskell, Cheshire and Warrington LEP chair, commented: “Government recognises the critical role that the LEPs can play in delivering economic growth, based on our business expertise, and asking the LEP to produce plans to drive forward growth is a real vote of confidence in us.

“The LEP Board are clear that in addressing economic issues, we are doing this for the whole of Cheshire and Warrington, and as such we need to be clear that we are focusing on the issues that matter most to business and our wider partners.

Aidan Manley, chief executive, added: “We have been delighted with the support we have received today and will continue to work with our partners to ensure that we deliver the most compelling case for investment in Cheshire and Warrington.”

Six main themes were identified at the LEP’s conference, including; building a business base, transformation and innovation, skilled and productive workforce, infrastructure and connectivity, access to finance and promoting Cheshire and Warrington.

Following positive support for these themes in March, the LEP is now working on ways to develop a plan to “deliver results on the ground.”

Public and private sector partners are being welcomed by the LEP, to decide which activities should receive funding, while further events will be held to discuss the actions to be taken.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .