Following the Government’s decision to transfer the economic growth and business representation functions of LEPs to local authorities, the Buckinghamshire LEP Board and Buckinghamshire Council have approved proposals for the transfer of LEP functions to Buckinghamshire Council as part of the Place Based Growth Board programme.

Bucks LEP is advancing an integrated economic development programme in close partnership with Buckinghamshire Council. This will develop a more integrated programme of economic development services in Buckinghamshire as well as providing the opportunity to develop a new pooled economic investment fund.

When?

The transfer of assets supporting the Bucks LEP integration into Buckinghamshire Council is planned to take place on 1^st March 2024.

The Bucks LEP corporate structure will close in the summer of 2024.

Why?

Last year the Chancellor announced that Government is to change its approach to Local Enterprise Partnership core funding moving to a new local authority funding model, which forms part of wider work on delivering devolution across England.

While some LEP’s decided to continue as arms-length companies, Buckinghamshire LEP’s integration into the Council was chosen as the most effective solution for Buckinghamshire.

The new arrangement will create integrated structures, built on strong economic foundations, to align activity to support economic growth in Buckinghamshire.

The new arrangements will also ensure that a strong and independent business voice is heard at the heart of the Growth Board structures in Buckinghamshire.

What difference will this make to me and my organisation?

The majority of current LEP functions will continue to be delivered through the new structures. In the short term there will be no change in service delivery but as the integration process gets underway a new team will be established within Buckinghamshire Council’s Planning Growth and Sustainability Department, incorporating skills and talents from across both organisations to provide a streamlined and efficient service for economic development and support for our partner delivery organisations.

What will the new service structure deliver?

The new service structure will pool resources and knowledge to create greater capacity and broader reach, with the opportunity to develop new approaches to generating economic growth for the county.

What are the potential benefits of this new structure – efficiencies, alignment, direct control, speed of service etc.?

The benefits this integration aims to deliver include, improved alignment of services, ensuring that the business voice is directly involved in democratic decision making and in supporting national Government objectives, and having the ability to establish new investment opportunities for Buckinghamshire business organisations.

It will improve efficiencies in working with statutory functions such as planning, transport, skills and education, housing, trading standards and environmental health, helping to strengthen our relationships with some of Buckinghamshire’s most significant businesses.

It will remove duplication in areas such as commissioning and monitoring business support functions and in the monitoring and allocation of Government grants.

It will provide the opportunity to target resources to bring new commercial investment into Buckinghamshire to support our growth ambitions.

It will help advance the development of new projects linked to the regeneration of our town centres and in the development of critical business infrastructure for our Enterprise Zones and business parks.