Agenda item

The Chief Executive and the Assistant Director – Policy and Communications submitted a report updating members on the Government’s review of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and seeking delegated authority for the Leader of the Council to respond to the review and to make a final decision on council membership of the Sheffield City Region (SCR) and Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEPs.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had published the review of LEP roles and responsibilities, ‘Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships’, in July 2018. The report summarised the contents of the review and made specific reference to the requirement that geographical overlaps be removed and that councils could only be part of one LEP.

The report set out the background to Chesterfield Borough Council’s membership of the SCR LEP and the D2N2 LEP and its non-constituent membership of the SCR Mayoral Combined Authority. It outlined the options for Chesterfield borough’s future LEP membership and made reference to recent communications with both LEPs and MHCLG, recognising that this was a very fluid and dynamic matter.

The report identified issues in respect of governance, transitional arrangements, collaboration and Enterprise Zone Business Rates where the Council was continuing to seek further clarity.

RESOLVED –

1.     That the requirements of HM Government’s review of Local Enterprise Partnerships, the current positions of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and his officials and also those of SCR and D2N2 LEPs, and the emerging positions of neighbouring councils be noted.

2.     That delegated authority be granted to the Leader to respond to HM Government’s Local Enterprise Partnerships review and to make the final decision on council membership of SCR and D2N2 LEPs.

3.     That the Leader reports back to full Council at the earliest opportunity informing members of the final decision taken and clearly setting out for members the rationale for that decision.