MP: New enterprise zone could create 4,850 jobs in the East Riding

GRAHAM STUART MP has congratulated the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) after its proposal for a Humber Estuary Renewable Energy Super Cluster was approved as one of the 11 new enterprise zones in England.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, last week finalised the second wave of new enterprise zone locations in England in a bid to boost economic growth and create up to 30,000 new jobs by 2015. These enterprise zones will aim to attract hundreds of new start up firms by simplifying planning rules and providing super-fast broadband with businesses enjoying over £150 million tax breaks over the next 4 years.

GrahamStuart MP said: “I want to congratulate the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership for all their hard work in bringing this unique opportunity to the area. We need new businesses to create economic development in this country and this scheme could provide budding entrepreneurs with a great opportunity to kick start new companies. The go-ahead for a new enterprise zone is positive news for the East Riding. It has been estimated that 4,850 jobs could be created in the area by 2015. This needs to be celebrated. This is a chance to bring prosperity and growth to the region and I hope we can utilise this opportunity to its fullest potential.”

Proposals for the enterprise zones were drawn up by Local Enterprise Partnerships. The announcement brings the total of enterprise zones to 22 across the country and each one is expected to specialise in a different industry. The Humber LEP proposal concentrates on the Renewable Energy industries and at 375 hectares is the largest of those approved.

On its temporary website, the Humber LEP Manager, Richard Kendall said: “The fact that our Enterprise Zone has been approved at more than double the size originally suggested by the Government prospectus shows that there is faith in the level of our ambition and the capability we have to deliver on our plans. However, the Enterprise Zone is not the limit: it is only the beginning of what we hope to achieve. If we are successful there will be many more developments around the fringe, particularly in the supply chain and related industries, and the effect on our economy will be transformative.”

The Humber LEP has already started the job of recruiting its own staff team and are seeking individuals in the following areas:

• PA/secretarial/administrative
• PR/marketing
• Policy/research

Local website links:

Graham Stuart MP

Humber LEP

HU12 Comment: One of the concerns held by local people, is that the jobs created will be taken by people who already have the skills and will move into the area from other parts of the country - those already in work will look at opportunities for promotion and local unemployed people will not reap the benefits.

One of the perceptions of success - or failure - of the Enterprise Zone will be judged on the extent to which opportunities for training, re-training and employment can be targeted at the local population. We can not just expect these new opportunities to automatically ripple-down and benefit local people: Measures must be but in place to ensure that this happens!

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Humber bid for Enterprise Zone

THE NEW HUMBER ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP set up last month is competing with twenty eight other similar bodies from around the country each bidding for their area to be included as one of the final ten Enterprise Zone locations.

Eleven Enterprise Zones have already been established and benefit from simplified planning rules, super-fast broadband and tax breaks for businesses to promote growth. When established the new Enterprise Zones, according to a press release issued by the Department of Communities and Local Government, can help make the country the best place in Europe to start and grow a business. But the process will be very competitive and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has said that "only the best will get the go ahead".

The Humber Enterprise Partnership bid to secure Enterprise Zone status will undoubtedly include the proposal by Siemens to open an £80 million wind turbine manufacturing plant on Alexandra Dock. But on a local level there may be some concerns that the Hull part of the Enterprise Zone sites involves developing land immediately North of the village of Paull.

The successful bids will be announced later this year.

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A Pan-Humber Local Enterprise Partnership

FOLLOWING MONTHS OF WRANGLING it appears that a solution has been found to the dilemma caused by different approaches and ideas to the formation of a new Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). While some business leaders had called for a LEP that covered the whole of the Humber, East Riding Council leaders had favoured an approach with Hull City Council and Scarborough Council

According to TheBusinesDesk.com today then a proposal to have one pan-Humber seems to have gained support, probably through the changed political priorities of Hull City Council following the election of a Labour majority in the local elections earlier this month.

The new proposal seems to favour a pan-Humber approach but with 'sub-boards' for the North and South Banks to deal with more local issues, such as tourism and housing.

One of the motivating forces behind setting up a LEP was the possibility of securing Enterprise Zone status which will mean simplified planning processes, business rates discounts and other benefits being made available to help the creation of new jobs and new businesses. Such benefits will obviously provide additional incentives to those wind farm manufacturers and renewable industries that have indicated that the Humber could be the base for their new developments.

Only LEPs can bid to become an Enterprise Zone. It is a competitive bidding process and it is not guaranteed that the Humber area - or parts of the Humber area - will be successful in any bids.

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Humber Economic Partnership Board to close

THE HUMBER ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP Board, has made the decision that the company will cease operations by 31st March 2011.

The organisation which was launched in 2001 and strived to bring together local councils, public and private sector organisations to encourage sustainable economic growth in the Hull and Humber Ports area. The Partnership claims an impressive record having invested over £8.75m into the Humber area over the last nine years.

However, following the announcement by four local authorities that they will no longer fund the organisation due to the public sector spending cuts, the Partnership Board has announced its decision to cease operations on 31st March 2011.

This is the latest closure of an economic initiative in the area, and follows the announced closures of Hull Forward and Yorkshire Forward. These redundant bodies will eventually be replaced by new council-led Local Enterprise Partnerships.  

It would be interesting to hear from local Holderness business people on their views on these closures. What have been the local benefits of such quangos? And will the proposed Local Enterprise Partnerships make any real difference to economic prosperity?

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More time for Councils to develop a Enterprise Partnership proposal

Image Wikipedia

FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT from Government that the local enterprise partnership (LEP) for Hull, East Riding and Scarborough is one of those which will not be included in the first wave of LEPs, leaders of the three councils have welcome the opportunity to "further develop their proposals for a North Bank LEP with local business and ministers."

The initial proposal from the three councils was rejected following a split in approach from local buiness leaders. Some had called for an area-wide LEP covering both banks of the Humber, but the three Councils put forward their own north bank plan.

In a joint statement, issued by the three Councils, the Councils said that they would now be concentrating on a north bank of the Humber proposal that could be backed by the rest of the Humber, including local businesses: 

"We are pleased that the Government has committed its ministers and officials to intensive discussions to ensure that this area is best placed to make the most of its opportunities. The Government acknowledged the hard work we put in to meet the nine-week deadline for the submission and we now look forward to showing ministers how a North Bank LEP can work to a common economic purpose and how we can work with the rest of the Humber outside of the LEP. We will move quickly to ensure that we provide a submission that provides the best opportunity for our area, backed by business. We have received informal feedback on our proposal to say that the business voice was fractured, however we have more time to speak to businesses outside of the tight deadline. The Government has made it clear that as an area not in an LEP we still have equal access to bid from the Regional Growth Fund." 

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What is the best option for growing local business enterprise?

THE GOVERNMENT is abolishing Yorkshire Forward the Regional Development Agency by 2012 and has invited local councils and businesses to work together to form local enterprise partnerships to promote economic growth and jobs.

There is a lively debate taking place over which model or models of partnership should be formed in Yorkshire.

Hull City and East Riding of Yorkshire councils believe that the starting point, which can build on the significant and growing amount of joint working taking place, would be a ‘North Bank’ local enterprise partnership covering the East Riding. Such an arrangement recognises the established economic geography that links the economy of Hull with the rest of East Yorkshire.

Lincolnshire councils and some maritime businesses meanwhile have backed the idea of a 'Humber-wide' partnership claiming the approach would have more depth than each authority vying for its own pitch and competing.

Other business leaders and councils have called for a wider 'Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership' to be formed in addition to any local model of partnership. Supporters behind the YEP idea argue that Yorkshire needs a bigger organisation to look after its interests at national and international level. Some functions, such as promoting the Yorkshire brand and tourism, are best carried out at a regional level.

The views of business are the key factor in this process and councils are consulting with and listening to the business community. The two local councils have jointly launched an on-line survey to give all businesses the chance to have their say. To give your views, follow the link to the survey below by 26th August 2010:

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/corp-survey/snapform/localenterprisepartnership/lepproposal.htm

More about this story on HumberBusiness.com website.

Update on key meeting of Council leaders yesterday from The Business Desk: Councillors open door for YEP plan (may have to register to read full article).

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