Local Enterprise Partnerships. Can we do better?

I attended yesterday’s Blackpool Hilton Hotel gathering to discuss the future for the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (or whichever region it ends up being).

The positives included the North and Western Chamber of Commerce’s impressive job in getting so many people there. It was a necessary meeting. And the Chamber and speakers had taken the initiative to instil some direction and prompt a response from the region’s business people.

The lasting perception was not quite so positive.  You couldn’t help feeling the presentations were for the most-part from council members desperately lobbying in their own best interest – as opposed to the interest of the business interests of the region. (There again, I suppose that’s what they’d been invited to do?)

Blackpool out on a limb

The Blackpool Council representative got a bit of a roasting. She asserted the importance of splitting up Lancashire into local areas because only they understand the needs of their ‘footprint’. (Public sector officials talk about footprints a lot! I think it must be a buzz word). She was quickly revealed at odds with the rest of the panel.

And it transcended into a brief restrained bickering about Blackpool’s under-lying deep resentment about the potential of Preston’s Tithebarn development. Blackpool would appear (remember this is my perception – not necessarily a public position on the part of Blackpool) determined to stand in its way even if Lancashire as a whole loses out. How sad … and a complete contradiction with anything my understanding of a Local Enterprise Partnership may aspire to.

Comments from the floor were most vociferously approved of when public sector beaurocracy was criticised. I suppose they were always on a hiding to nothing in that respect.

As such, I was left thinking it was a bit of a missed opportunity.

This was a real opportunity to enthuse and excite an impressively-sized audience about invigorating the Lancashire business sector and taking ownership of its future. What transpired was a reminder that for the most part, local bureaucrats understand little about the private sector and are frantically lobbying to retain there involvement in the future. When, to be honest, it’s not about them.

My understanding is that the new Local Enterprise Partnerships (I refuse to shorten it to yet-another acronym) has businesses at the heart of it. But, with the exception of the Chamber of Commerce, there were no business representatives on the panel. Just public sector. A bit strange?

Actions speak louder than words. You can tell businesses they have ownership of the new regional structure until you are blue in the face. But this back-to-front approach of setting up a new regional structure (even accounting for feedback in public forums like yesterday’s event at the Hilton) then asking businesses to play an active part in it means the last thing they feel is ownership.

Another Way?

I’m proud to be the current chairman of the Lytham and St. Annes Business Development Association.  We’re a pleasant hard-working and supportive bunch who meet weekly and help each other out where we can.  No agendas. There are many other business breakfast and networking groups, online through websites like Linked In, throughout Lancashire. Private sector businesses are already helping each other out and enthusing and supporting each other.

For me, a truly-innovative solution, would be to see these independent organisations come together in the name of Lancashire. Let’s bring all the good work we do in our individual groups to the wider stage. Let’s enthuse and excite each other. Let’s share knowledge and best practice.

I have no idea what such a group might become. But, for me, the best and most influential organisations are never prescribed.  Telling people from the onset what these Local Enterprise Partnerships should become (even if it is in response to well-meaning Hilton-like discussions) is a sure fire way to alienate the businesses it is supposed to support the most.

I believe the best organisations evolve – often from small and insignificant beginnings. They grow spurred on buy the driving ambition and imagination of their members. Members who haven’t prescribed a big overall plan and as such don’t necessarily know where their work will lead. But they will enjoy the journey and do all they reasonably can to make a difference. It may not fit snuggly into the public sector model of acronyms, agendas and sub-committees. But it’s something that I could potentially be proud to associate with.

So my response was to feel inspired. But, sadly, not about the Local Enterprise Partnerships. Rather, in evolving what the local independent groups already have into a regional forum.

Any like-minded individuals – perhaps representing independent business groups and networking associations fancy getting together for a coffee? Drop me a line. richardATthebuzzfactory.co.uk.

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