Local enterprise partnership leaders have had their say on Levelling Up.
The two bridges between government and enterprise in the Humber region have given their considered response to Michael Gove’s long-awaited white paper.
The 332-page document covered off proposals to raise productivity and performance levels of the country towards those of London and the wider South East.
A key feature was the private sector-led board Opportunity Humber - with a global business leader rooted in the region at the helm in Reckitt’s chief executive Laxman Narasimhan.
Hull and East Yorkshire LEP chair James Newman said: “The Hull and East Yorkshire LEP welcomes the Government’s comments in its White Paper, which clarifies the LEP role in respect of the regional economic strategy and its delivery. The white paper dispels, once and for all, the uncertainty of the last nine months whilst the Government conducted a review of the LEPs and their continuing role.
“The HEY LEP and its private sector partners now look forward to working closely with both Hull and East Riding councils to deliver the Government’s economic growth and levelling up agendas as set out in the White Paper, alongside a devolution deal for the region.
“Both the Hull and East Yorkshire and Greater Lincolnshire LEPs welcome the announcement of Opportunity Humber as this recognises and supports the Humber as a major centre in the UK for Net Carbon Zero activity and the many Humber-related investment programmes and projects.
“The Humber Energy Board is already working with the wide spectrum of businesses across the estuary and looks forward to a productive relationship with Opportunity Humber where our goals are aligned and to avoid duplication of effort.
“We see Opportunity Humber’s main role as to promote and forcibly press the case at the highest level within Government and internationally for the Humber region to be at the forefront of the UK’s green energy transformation.”
A lack of devolved powers or a county deal is a missed opportunity for the area, according to Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership chair Pat Doody, who “broadly welcomed” the strategy.
“We’re very pleased to see that this Government recognises the value of business-led LEPs and has embedded the role of LEPs in Government policy for the first time,” he said.
“The White Paper confirms that having an independent business voice in the decision-making process is vital for the economic wellbeing of local areas, skills and jobs. We are committed to working with Government to underpin that, to help build the new structures outlined in the White Paper and to focus on the priorities it sets out.”
Mr Doody welcomed the missions set out in the White Paper, in particular the commitment to investing in education.
Lincolnshire will become one of 55 areas aiming to improve education for disadvantaged children and young people. The county will receive targeted support including priority for new specialist sixth-form free schools, help for schools to retain the best teachers in high-priority subjects, and access to a new pilot programme to improve pupil attendance.
“The increased investment in education is to be welcomed, as is the commitment to increase public funding for research and development away from the South East by 40 per cent,” he said.
“We will work with business and the universities to make sure we get our fair share of R&D opportunities in Greater Lincolnshire.
“And it was encouraging to see our UK Food Valley highlighted in the White Paper as a good example of private sector initiatives supported by the public sector, and the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology cited too.”
It has secured more than £400,000 for the seafood sector, with eyes on a much larger prize.
However, Mr Doody - a former banker - voiced concern over future funding levels.
“We welcome the news that the process of bidding for funding will be simplified, but the criteria for qualifying to receive cash are still unclear. We remain concerned that money from the Shared Prosperity Fund will not be sufficient to match previous regional funding from the EU for Greater Lincolnshire,” he said.
He also expressed disappointment that Lincolnshire was not included in the first-wave list of areas to be offered devolution deals. Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Hull/East Yorkshire are all included - with Mr Gove saying the opportunity remains open at a later date when visiting Grimsby on Monday.
“We were disappointed to see that Greater Lincolnshire was not announced in the first wave for a devolution deal, despite being surrounded by areas that were invited,” he said.
“As a LEP we will continue to put our shoulder to the wheel by lobbying for Greater Lincolnshire and by working at pace with our local authority partners to seek an early devolution deal.
“Our opportunity has been unrealised and under-invested in for decades, and levelling up will only be achieved if it is a priority shared by the whole of Government, working with local and regional leaders.
“We all know that we are stronger together, and the Greater Lincolnshire voice must continue to be united and strong.”
