Book Your Place at the first LEP Summit

News release

10th September 2012

The first Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership Business Summit will feature a talk by the national Chair of the LEP Network, it has been confirmed.

At the summit, which aims to be a platform for business leaders and politicians to debate the big economic issues facing Greater Lincolnshire, David Frost, CBE, DL will deliver a talk on the role of LEPs in their local economies and give delegates a chance to ask their own questions.

The free event will be held on Friday 12th October at Market Rasen Racecourse and will be hosted by Greater Lincolnshire LEP Chair Ursula Lidbetter MBE.

“I will be speaking about what’s happening with the LEPs nationally, and how the Government sees the importance of them in terms of economic development,” said David, who has chaired the LEP Network since it went live in July last year and who was previously Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce..

“One of the LEP’s great strengths is the unique way the local businesses, agencies and local authorities are working together to come up with solutions to boost local economic development.

“The Greater Lincolnshire LEP is one the key LEPs in the movement. From what I see it has a very strong Chair as well as some national profile; Westminster is always picking up items about it. I’m very keen to listen to people’s views on the subject of LEPs in general.”

Ursula Lidbetter added: “This summit is a very important date for our calendar as it gives everyone a chance to learn more about the work we’ve been doing and how we plan to move forward,” said Ursula.

“This past year has seen progress made in our priority areas of manufacturing, agri-food, tourism, renewables, port and logistics and care and this summit will be a chance to tell Greater Lincolnshire businesses about that.

“Our aim is to create the conditions which will bring improved infrastructure to Greater Lincolnshire as well as opportunities for businesses to grow. We’ve already had a lot of interest in the event.”

Those attending the summit will hear more about the significant success the LEP has already had in securing funding for the area.   Lincolnshire County Council have secured £14.3 million, with support from the LEP, which will help bring next-generation broadband to Lincolnshire by 2015, while the Greater Lincolnshire and Humber LEPs are both backing the plan for superfast broadband in North Lincolnshire too, where £2.6 million has been allocated by Broadband Delivery UK to improve connection speeds.

A further £9 million of funding has also been secured for vital infrastructure projects, such as transport improvements and flood defences, and the Greater Lincolnshire LEP is backing Regional Growth Fund (RGF) bids including a £75m plan to create a food cluster in North-East Lincolnshire.

The Greater Lincolnshire LEP Business Summit begins at 9.30am on Friday 12thOctober and includes a buffet lunch before closing at 1.30pm.

Places at the event are limited to 150 people, with tickets being allocated on a first come, first served basis. To ensure you have a place, please contact Carolyn Tuscher on 01522 550540 or carolyn.tuscher@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a new body led by the private sector which aims to improve conditions for infrastructure and doing business in the Greater Lincolnshire area.

• One of the first LEPs to be established in the UK, the Greater Lincolnshire LEP covers a large geographical area with a population of over one million and a diverse range of industries, from ports and logistics to farming, tourism and engineering.

• It includes North and North-East Lincolnshire and is controlled by a LEP board made up of leading figures in the public and private sector.

• For more information about the Greater Lincolnshire LEP please contact Ruth Carver or Carolyn Tuscher at the LEP Secretariat on 01522 550515, or visit www.greaterlincolnshirelep.co.uk

Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 243102 (temporary number)
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @cerridelaney

Tags: