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The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a strategic collaboration between business, universities and local councils which directs economic growth and drives job creation.

The LEP was formed in 2011 to make Lancashire the location for business growth and inward investment. Since then, we have played a crucial role in coordinating the county’s economic priorities.

Our role is to ensure the best possible economic conditions so that businesses can start, grow and thrive, by enjoying easy access to high-grade support for sustainable expansion.

We work with government to bid for public funds, focussing on opportunities that maximise job creation and growth to spread the benefits right across the county.

Our strong strategic focus has enabled us to secure a £1 billion growth plan and bring forward over 50 major growth initiatives. Whilst all parts of Lancashire have benefited from these ambitious growth programmes and investment plans, half of these initiatives are within the five most deprived areas, reflecting the LEP’S ambition to drive inclusive economic growth.

We have established a strong reputation for delivery, a track record which is recognised by government and our public and private sector partners including:

  • Our £320 million Growth Deal, the largest secured outside the core city regions, is on track to deliver up to 11,000 new jobs, 3,900 new homes, and leverage £1.2 billion in new private sector investment by 2021
  • The £450 million Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal
  • Our Lancashire Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Cluster (LAMEC) programme – three Zones (across four sites)- is creating an investor offer of Northern Powerhouse significance capable of supporting 10,000 new jobs in the advanced engineering and manufacturing, energy and chemical sectors
  • £30 million Growth Deal Skills Capital Fund has been invested in our education facilities
  • £20 million Growing Places Investment Fund in 8 commercial investments, including some in our most deprived areas

The LEP has directed much of the investment it has won to creating and enhancing a range of innovation assets and centres of excellence such as Lancaster University’s Health Innovation Campus, UCLAN’s state of the art Engineering and Innovation Centre and the world-renowned Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre based at Samlesbury Enterprise Zone.  These investments are in response to the challenge of increasing the productivity and competiveness of our key and emerging sectors.

We will continue to build on the success of Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub, Boost, with an enhanced offer to rapidly growing businesses, find more information in Key Initiatives

The LEP applies a ‘best business case’ model to direct available resources into investment priorities and a strategic outlook that focuses on five themes:

  • Raising the profile and visibility of Lancashire
  • Inward investment and strategic development
  • Business support
  • Supply chain and sector development
  • Skills development

The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership has a strong record on progressing cross-boundary and cross-LEP initiatives. The Board remains alert to cross-boundary opportunities with regional and national partners that enable the LEP to both scale-up and progress key initiatives consistent with SEP priorities.  The LEP also plays an active role in NP11 and has led on two cross-boundary Science & Innovation Audit submissions.

It is the responsibility of the LEP Board to consider and agree all key policy and investment decisions, including proposals to develop and engage with cross-boundary and cross-LEP initiatives.  When considering and approving the LEP’s engagement in cross-boundary initiatives, there must be evidence of the strategic value of this proposed activity along with the clear identification of any governance and/or resource implications.

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