157 Group and partners publish report on the role of local enterprise partnerships
5th July 2011
157 Group and partners publish report on the role of local enterprise partnerships
BEGINS
The 157 Group of large and regionally influential colleges has published a report of the collaborative project undertaken with its partners, the Local Government Association (LGA) and British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), to examine the role of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) in relation to skills. The project, implemented between October 2010 and the end of March 2011, considered the role of LEPs in articulating and addressing skills needs, with particular emphasis on the effective use of labour market information (LMI); examined the effectiveness of pre-existing strategic partnership arrangements; and highlighted effective practice, issues and areas for improvement. The three partners will work with their members to help the 35 newly formed LEPs realise their potential in meeting local skills needs.
Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group, said, "The role of LEPs in providing strategic leadership and addressing local priorities is central to the government's strategy for sustainable, long-term economic growth. Its skills strategy envisages that colleges, universities and other providers will work collaboratively with local partners to ensure that the skills demands of individual learners and employers are met. There is a strong case for adopting a holistic approach to the development of local skills from the age of 14, and our report includes examples of how 157 Group colleges and other providers are working with local authorities, businesses and voluntary organisations to support the recovery and growth of local economies."
Cllr Peter Box, chairman of the LGA's Economy and Transport Board said, "The LGA recognises that the skills of local people are vital to the success of local economies and their ability to compete in a global economy. Therefore, it is important for local government, business and colleges to play their part, and recognise that they have a key role to play, working together, to ensure that the skills and training on offer locally fits the needs of employers. It is also crucial for local government to recognise that the skills needs will vary in different local economies.
"Local enterprise partnerships will be important in this discussion, as they bring together the key players to promote growth in the local economy. For that reason, this report is a helpful contribution to the debate about their role."
Anne Tipple, national skills executive at BCC, said, "This project showed strong support for the idea that businesses should have the autonomy to pursue their own agendas on economic growth and skills, according to local needs. By taking a leading role in LEPs and other strategic partnerships, businesses can choose the kinds of support structure that they find most appropriate. One of the case studies in the report describes a local chamber's work to coordinate comprehensive, up-to-date intelligence on the needs of local business so that education and training providers can plan their future provision. Ensuring that businesses are not held back by lack of skilled staff is vital to our economic recovery." ENDS
Notes for editors
The role of local enterprise partnerships in tackling skills needs is available to download in PDF format at http://www.157group.co.uk/files/lep_report_-_full.pdf and the executive summary at http://www.157group.co.uk/files/lep_report_-_summary.pdf
About the partners
The 157 Group represents 27 of the most influential colleges in the FE sector. It was formed in 2006 in response to paragraph 157 of Sir Andrew Foster's report on the future of further education colleges, in which he argued that principals of large successful colleges should play a greater role in policymaking.
The Local Government Association (LGA) is the voice of local government in the national arena. LGA lobbies and campaigns for changes in policy, legislation and funding on behalf of its member councils and the people and communities they serve. It is a voluntary membership body and the 422 member authorities cover every part of England and Wales.
British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the national body for a powerful and influential network of accredited chambers of commerce across the UK, which serves both its member businesses and the wider business community. BCC works with the government to shape policy affecting businesses, and focuses on key areas of activity including international trade, skills development and business services.
CONTACT
Gemma Knott 07581 354 750
Email [email protected]
The 157 Group Limited P O Box 58147 London SW8 9AF
Website: www.157group.co.uk
