Progress

The LEP has made remarkable progress since it began in 2011. The Annual Report for 2020/21 demonstrates the increasing strength of our core offer to create the right conditions to grow businesses and prosperity in Lancashire

Following the Government’s 2018 national review of LEPs, the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership will continue to build on the solid foundations we have laid through Lancashire’s largest ever growth programmes.

From the Spinning Jenny to the Jet Engine, Lancashire has always found ways to build a vibrant economy and rise to challenges with innovation and ingenuity.

With transparency and strong governance built into our DNA, we ensure private sector buy-in and participation through collaboration with local, regional and national growth partners.

The LEP has formed 6 business-led sector groups which are developing growth plans for their respective sectors.  These will position Lancashire’s sectoral and supply chain strengths and opportunities, focussing on productivity, innovation and internationalisation.

Lancashire will continue to be promoted as a destination of choice and a place to invest through the Invest in Lancashire website and attendance at key national and international events.

LEP investments made through the Growth Deal are coming to fruition, strengthening our complementary innovation assets.  These include 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.

We will continue to build on the success of Boost – Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub and its enhanced offer to new and growing businesses.

Along with businesses and education providers, we will implement the ‘Technical Education Vision for Lancashire’ to improve attainment levels in our most deprived communities and to nurture the highly skilled and flexible workforce Lancashire needs.

The LEP will play an active leadership role within the Northern Powerhouse and Transport for the North around a common narrative with Government on sector, skills, transport and investment priorities.

The LEP will communicate and engage effectively with the business community, local decision makers, MPs, the public and other key stakeholders. The LEP will produce and implement a Communication and Engagement Strategy and hold an Annual General Meeting to publicise its work.

Our ambition is to halve Lancashire’s GVA performance gap to the rest of the country while increasing the number of high value jobs.

We will continue to address barriers to growth and productivity in some parts of the Lancashire economy and support work to promote innovation, access to finance, clean low carbon growth and internationalisation.

We are an active partner in the NW Digital Adoption Pilot following an Innovation Plan endorsed by the LEP and the Made Smarter review.

A ‘clean growth’ Science and Innovation Audit led by Lancaster University is building on 2018’s multi-partner Energy Strategy developed by the LEP with £40,000 from Department for Business, Environment and Industrial Strategy.

The LEP will compete successfully for any new national growth funds and position Lancashire for European succession funds.

  • Progress
  • The LEP will compete successfully for any new national growth funds and position Lancashire for European succession funds.

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