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Devolution bid submitted to Government
Following the Statement of Intent submitted to Government last month, and in partnership with the six district councils, the county council, police and the Clinical Commissioning Group, GFirst LEP have submitted the ‘We are Gloucestershire Devolution Bid’, to Government; providing evidence that the county is now ready to utilise and make best use of devolved powers for the benefit of local people.
7 September 2015
The bid outlines how Gloucestershire would benefit from the simplification of decision making from devolved powers, and the opportunities arising to lead business support and growth in Gloucestershire, drawing on the strength of relationships between the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and local businesses. The proposal also encompasses further work streams that include transport and infrastructure, health and social care and community safety.
To deliver a local solution for Gloucestershire’s businesses, the LEP is pushing for additional freedoms and flexibilities, in order to lead on skills, employability, apprenticeships and careers; resulting in a highly skilled workforce and effective local skills solutions in the county, aligning to the current employer and economic needs of Gloucestershire. As well as skills, GFirst LEP will be endeavouring to ensure the shortfall in the availability of employment land is recognised and broadband and mobile technology in Gloucestershire is brought up to speed.
The Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), which was submitted to Government in 2014 by GFirst LEP, identified the need for personal business support to enable businesses to reach their full potential. With devolved powers Gloucestershire would be given the opportunity to successfully reach this goal - building on a number of skills and employment initiatives that GFirst LEP and their partners have already delivered.
David Owen, Chief Executive of GFirst LEP, said:
“Gloucestershire is facing a fantastic opportunity - devolution will give us the flexibilities to use resources and responsibilities in the best possible way. This will enable the private sector to have a strong voice and genuine influence on skills and business support, empowering them to achieve the ambitions that were put forward in the Strategic Economic Plan.”
“There is no one size fits all approach to local economic growth, and we want to ensure that planned growth happens when and where it should. GFirst LEP will continue to work with partners to align public, private and voluntary sector working, to achieve ambitions for growth in Gloucestershire and the key priorities outlined in our SEP.”
