• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Wednesday March 22 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

SWLEP vows to carry on – despite government decision to scrap funding

Leaders at SWLEP – the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership – have vowed to continue supporting businesses despite an announcement that the organisation’s government funding will be probably be scrapped.

Paddy Bradley MBE, chief executive of SWLEP Ltd, said the organisation – which had anticipated the withdrawal of funding – would continue as a viable business, delivering a range of programmes to support the economy in Swindon & Wiltshire.

“We are a not-for-profit limited company and proud of the work we are doing to encourage economic growth in Swindon and Wiltshire,” he said.

“The activities we carry out to fulfil the government’s defined functions of a local enterprise partnership are only part of what we do.

“We will work with our colleagues in both Swindon and Wiltshire Councils to ensure the transfer of any responsibilities is handled professionally.

“We do intend, however, to continue as a viable business managing a range of programmes to help businesses in our area to be resilient and grow.”

LEPs are business led-partnerships between local authorities and local private sector businesses.

They were introduced by the coalition government in 2011 with the aim of giving businesses a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and job creation, improve infrastructure and raise workforce skills within the local area.

But in his Spring Budget last week, Jeremy Hunt told Parliament he was minded to withdraw government support, returning budgets and powers to local councils.

A four-week consultation process is now underway with LEPs, local authorities, and mayoral combined authorities.

The Chancellor told Parliament: “The government is committed to empowering democratically elected local leaders at every opportunity.

“To this end, the government intends for the functions of Local Enterprise Partnerships to be delivered by local government in the future.

“Therefore, the government is minded to withdraw central government support for LEPs from April 2024.”

Mark Bretton, chairman of the national LEP Network, said the decision had been driven by political policy, not by performance.

“Our meetings have revealed the full scale of the challenge and complexity facing officials – most LEPs are incorporated companies, a structure insisted upon by Government,” he said.

“Unravelling this with the trailing liabilities and accountability for significant sums of money will not be simple, yet we need to do all of this whilst continuing to deliver for our local communities.

He added: “LEPs are apolitical and part of the original devolution arsenal; the word ‘Local in our title makes this clear.

“For more than five years LEPs have been scrutinised and on every occasion passed muster. The importance of the role of business in driving a future Enterprise Economy has never been more important.

“To say we remain puzzled as to why Government wants to put at risk a growth engine that has worked so well for them is an understatement, but if that is what they want let’s get this done professionally, in a timely fashion and with respect.”

SWLEP has been key in drawing down money from central government and – until Brexit – the European Union to invest in infrastructure projects. Major projects in which the LEP has been involved include improvements to the M4 at Junction 16 and 17, improvements to the A350 Chippenham bypass, the development of Porton Science Park and the Business Cyber Centre, and the redevelopment of the Mansion House, Corsham to create an incubation space for businesses working within the digital or innovation sectors.

Latest: Almost exactly a year after the government announced it was ending the funding of LEPs, Wiltshire Council has confirmed it will be taking over all of the functions previously delivered by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.