Issue - meetings

Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership was established in 2011 with the aim of creating private sector jobs and removing barriers to business growth.

It is a partnership between the business community and local government that operates as an unincorporated association. The governance structure comprises an Executive Board, Programme Sub-groups and the Forum. The Executive Board is responsible for preparing an annual business plan on behalf of the Partnership and for ensuring that its agreed priorities are taken forward.

Local Enterprise Partnerships are the Governments mechanism for the distribution of Growing Places Funds which are issued pursuant to section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 and therefore can only be paid to a local authority nominated to act as accountable body. The County Council has agreed to act as accountable body in respect of Growing Places Fund allocation on behalf of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to an agreement to take arrangements forward.

Councillor Zoe Patrick, Opposition Leader welcomed the Local Enterprise Partnership(LEP) and accepted the impact it could have on the whole of Oxfiordshire. She highlighted that one of the key to growth was securing funding to improvements to the to the A34. She welcomed the funding being delivered through the LEP but commented that management was crucial and that if not spent on capital projects it would have to be repaid. She hoped that housing would be sited close to employment as encouraged by government.

The Leader introduced the contents of the report noting that the Memorandum of Understanding was a technical document rather than about detailed plans at this stage.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership in relation to the Council’s role as accountable body for the allocation and distribution of government funds allocated to/via Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership; and

(b)          authorise the Chief Finance Officer to approve loan applications recommended by the Executive Board of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and to enter into appropriate legal agreements on behalf of Council with the recipients of the grant funding once they are approved by the Enterprise Partnership Executive Board.