WMCA to keep up business support as West Midlands LEPs end services

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) will soon host the operations of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) for the Black Country and for Coventry and Warwickshire.

This comes after the Government’s announcement in last year’s Levelling Up White Paper that all 38 LEPs in England would be forced to integrate into their local democratic institutions.

The WMCA is now preparing to continue the work of the former LEPs, which involves determining local economic priorities, driving economic growth and job creation, improving infrastructure, and fostering skills in the workforce.

As things stand, Birmingham and Solihull LEP and their respective Growth Hubs will continue to operate until the end of the year.

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Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the WMCA, said: “I would like to thank both Black Country and Coventry LEPs for all their hard work over the years in uniting businesses, organisations, and individuals across the region to drive growth and create opportunities.

“Both LEPs have been successful in bringing millions of pounds of Government investment to support the West Midlands, enabling key infrastructure projects to become a reality and making a real difference to our region’s economy.”

The transfer coincides with the launch of Business Growth West Midlands, a programme coordinated by the WMCA and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help SMEs reduce their carbon footprint and cut energy costs.

Businesses will continue to benefit from personalised advice from expert advisors and grants for new growth opportunities, just as before under the LEPs. Moving forward, these services are to be delivered by the region’s seven local authorities, including Dudley and Sandwell Councils.

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