LLEP ANNUAL REPORT April 2018 - March 2019 FOREWORD from the CHAIR
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LLEP ANNUAL REPORT April 2018 - March 2019 FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIR CONTENTS The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) and its partners have made significant progress over the last 12 months and I am pleased to present our Annual FORWARD FROM THE CHAIR 3 Report for 2018-19 to highlight these achievements. VISION AND PRIORITIES 2018-19 4 2018-19 has been another exciting year. We have Our Enterprise Adviser Network was successful in seen major developments in some of the key becoming one of only twenty Careers Hubs in the MAJOR INVESTMENTS MAP 2018-19 6 investments made by the LLEP, and key changes to country. The Hub was officially launched in January our governance and structure. This year we received 2019 and will help us build on our achievements, GROWTH DEAL 8 an ‘exceptional’ rating for delivery and ‘good’ rating ensuring that every student in Leicester and EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL AND for governance, once again highlighting the strength Leicestershire has the tools to succeed in the world of of our foundations as we continue to create economic work. INVESTMENT FUNDS (ESIF) 10 prosperity in our region. In February, we approved a Growing Places Fund ENTERPRISE ZONES 12 A major milestone for the LLEP came in September loan of £750,000 for Norton Motorcycles – one of 2018, with the opening of MIRA Technology Institute Leicestershire’s most iconic brands. This funding will GROWING PLACES FUND (GPF) 13 (MTI). Built with a £9.5 million grant from our Local help expand Norton’s manufacturing capabilities at ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY 14 Growth Fund, MTI is at the cutting edge of automotive Donington Hall. The company is set to become a technology skills. Advances in autonomous vehicles major employer in the region: over 80 new jobs will be ENTERPRISE ADVISER NETWORK 15 are only possible due to innovations in the field of created in North-West Leicestershire including highly- artificial intelligence. MTI exists to train the automotive skilled engineering roles. GROWTH HUB - engineers of the future; we are proud to support the skills of the future in our region. Our growth hub, the LLEP Business Gateway, has now LLEP BUSINESS GATEWAY 16 been operating for four years. During this time, it has COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT 18 In October 2018, a planning application was received enquiries from over 4,700 businesses and submitted for the first phase of Space Park Leicester provided intensive support for around 1,000 of these. SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE 19 – an ambitious project to establish Leicester as the UK’s capital of space innovation. Space Park Leicester We launched our Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) LLEP BOARD MEMBERS 20 is a collaboration between the LLEP, the University Prospectus for Leicester and Leicestershire during of Leicester and Leicester City Council. Situated at 2018 and as a result we were included as one of six GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE 21 Leicester Waterside, a site within the Loughborough Wave Two Local Enterprise Partnership areas invited PRIORITIES FOR 2019-20 22 and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone, to prepare a Local Industrial Strategy (LIS). This is a Space Park Leicester will become an international hub huge priority for us, as the LIS will define investment for space research, teaching and innovation. When priorities for the region for years to come. completed, the estimated benefits to the regional economy are £715 million and 2,500 jobs in the wider As we embark on a period of consultation, research supply chain. and planning, we’re confident that we can achieve our long-term vision for Leicester and Leicestershire due We have committed almost our entire European to the strength of our businesses, the character of our Watch our LLEP overview video Structural and Investment Fund programme with people and the untapped potential of our region. Look out for the QR Codes throught the report and scan £101 million invested to date. In November 2018 we them with a smart phone to watch a short video on our published calls for projects to help graduate retention Kevin Harris work across Leicester and Leicestershire. and promote innovation in low-carbon technologies. Chair of the LLEP 2 | | 3 VISION AND PRIORITIES 2018-19 At the outset of 2018-19, our key priorities We presented our case to the Careers and were: Enterprise Company for a Careers Hub for Leicester and Leicestershire and we were successful in • The presentation of our Local Industrial Strategy securing one of only 20 Careers Hubs in the (LIS) prospectus to central government. country. Our Careers Hub was officially launched in • The construction of our LIS evidence base through January 2019 and will further develop the work of public consultation. our Enterprise Adviser Network. We have seen great • Appoint a new Chair of the LLEP. success in engaging with partners in business to • Implement changes to our governance structure. enhance careers education in schools and colleges. • Securing, establishing and launching our Careers Hub for Leicester and Leicestershire. We published the findings of our Skills for the Future • Publishing the findings of our Skills for the Future research and consultation exercise in November research. 2018. This important document is crucial for Watch a video overview of • Publishing our Energy Infrastructure Strategy. identifying skills needs for each sector of our local our vision and priorities • Committing the remaining funds from our economy. It provides vital data to understand how European Structural and Investment Fund best to direct investment in skills provision for the allocation. future. The report forms part of our LIS evidence base, our approach to the government’s new T-level We have worked to commit more of Local Industrial Strategies are long-term, based qualifications and our support for careers delivery. our remaining European Structural and on clear evidence and aligned to the UK’s Investment Funds allocation, and have Industrial Strategy. After preparing our Local launched calls worth almost £27 million Industrial Strategy prospectus and presenting it for across a range of funding streams consideration, we were delighted to be chosen as including ERDF PA1 (innovation), worth one of only six Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) £1.9 million, and PA4 (low-carbon), worth in ‘wave two’ of LIS implementation. a total of £6 million. To develop our LIS, we conducted a listening In November 2018 we published our exercise, inviting economic stakeholders throughout Energy Infrastructure Strategy, which sets the region to submit evidence to us. During this out proposals for how we plan to invest process, we liaised with local business leaders, in green and low-carbon technologies. local authorities and other contributors to the local The green economy is set to create economy. Once complete, we commenced the task thousands of jobs and change approaches of analysing the evidence submitted and began to investment and development in the constructing our evidence base for the LIS. coming decades. We want to make our region a hub for low-carbon infrastructure, This year Nick Pulley’s term as Chair of the LLEP transport and homebuilding. came to an end after four years at the helm. Kevin Harris, Partner at RSM UK, was appointed to the role We once again supported the Leicester until June 2020. Business Festival, which brings together economic stakeholders from across The LLEP has revised its Local Assurance the region. The successful two week Framework following the review of the National festival saw a 16% increase in business Assurance Framework for LEPs. This year we have engagement, with nearly 1,300 businesses implemented the recommendations following the participating. 87% of these felt Leicester review of LEP roles and responsibilities published Business Festival had a good impact on in summer 2018. them or their business. 4 | | 5 MAJOR INVESTMENTS MAP 2018-19 The LLEP has invested in over 40 projects and programmes in recent years. This map details 1 2 some of the major projects that saw progression or completion during 2018-19. Grow on Space (1) River Soar Flood Risk Management (5) The project will comprise the development of a new Further improvements have been made along high-quality building on the existing Business Park Leicester’s River Soar, which will see 2,000 homes situated south of Market Harborough town centre. safeguarded and over £20 million worth of savings Kegworth The site offers excellent access from the A508 linking in flood damage repair. This will create the necessary 6 to the A6 trunk road, and motorway networks via conditions for more investment in the Waterside the A14 that connects the M1, M6, and M11. area. MELTON MOWBRAY LOUGHBOROUGH Total LLEP project investment £987,833 Total LLEP project investment £7.5m 5 A607 MIRA Technology Institute (2) Loughborough town centre Ashby de la Zouch The MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) was opened regeneration (6) COALVILLE A6 in September 2018. A 2,192m2 hybrid building A reimagining of Loughborough Town Centre A50 comprising classroom space and workshop/ through improvements to the public realm and 7 laboratory space, the new facility forms part of MIRA inward investment in shopping, leisure and housing 4 Technology Park. opportunities. Total LLEP project investment £9.5m Total LLEP project investment £733,000 LEICESTER A47 Midlands Mainline line speed A50/A6 Leicester north-west 2 A47 improvement (Market Harborough) (3) transport corridor (7) The scheme to improve journey times on the Further progress has been made on a major road Wigston Midland Mainline has seen improvements at Market network improvement that will be ongoing until A6 Harborough railway station, with a new car park and 2021. Increased accessibility will facilitate investment HINCKLEY 3 other improvements now in place. in housing and commercial space to the north west of the city of Leicester.