Issue - meetings

The Economic Development Manager submitted a report providing Members with a factual update regarding the work of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), including information about the LEP structure, strategic plans and potential opportunities and information in respect of developments since the last Corporate Business Scrutiny report in March 2012.

Members were advised that, in terms of resources and projects, the LEP was currently focussed around 3 corridor areas within Hertfordshire.  The Economic Development Manager stated that the headline figures from the LEP funding settlement published just before this meeting, indicated a £200 million budget for Hertfordshire, of which £53.3 million was for 2015.

Members were advised that although the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) made no specific reference to East Herts, reference was made to potential opportunities in the M11/A10 corridor and in the District, such as providing rail station access improvements and upgrades to the network to improve resilience for Bishop’s Stortford, Broxbourne, Hertford East and Rye House.

Members were also advised that reference was made to later schemes, such as the Little Hadham Bypass, improvements to the A602 and A10 network resilience.  There was also reference to a long term venture to explore options in relation to Bishop’s Stortford as the town was in the process of accommodating significant growth.

Councillor T Page queried how the LEP was accountable to East Herts Council.  The Economic Development Manager advised that the Leader of East Herts Council was one of three representatives from Hertfordshire on the Board of the LEP.  Members were advised that there were opportunities for consultation with local authorities and the LEP was also accountable to central government.

Councillor J Ranger commented that the infrastructure funding appeared to be aimed at the key towns in Hertfordshire.  He queried where the funding was coming from for more rural projects.  The Economic Development Manager advised that the LEP would very likely defer to East Herts Council in terms of how rural funding was spent.

Councillor J Wing highlighted the difficulties of traffic through Hertford and on the A1 Corridor through Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City to Stevenage.  The Economic Development Manager referred to the difficulties in travelling east to west across Hertfordshire and the constraints this posed for businesses.

Councillor M Pope referred to the £35,000 LEP funding that had been allocated to the ongoing My Incubator project in Ware.  He commented that, although the East Herts funding had ceased, the project had continued and was likely to do so for many years.

The Committee received the report.

RESOLVED – that the update on the Herts Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) (in advance of the LEP funding settlement with government) be noted.