Federation calls for clarity

The way taxpayers' money is spent by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) must be much more transparent, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
The FSB has campaigned for LEPs to be transparentThe FSB has campaigned for LEPs to be transparent
The FSB has campaigned for LEPs to be transparent

The call comes in response to a report by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examining issues around devolution in England, including concerns about the Partnerships.

Commenting on the findings of the PAC’s ‘Devolution in England’ report, Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said:

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“It’s encouraging to see the cross-party and influential PAC push for clarity around devolution objectives in England. In particular, the PAC’s call on Government to review the accountability of LEPs marks a welcome step forward.

“FSB has campaigned hard for LEPs to be more transparent in how they work. The need for greater LEP accountability has never been more pressing as the partnerships are set to receive increased funding over the coming years.

“The Government should now insist LEPs publish a register of business interests and fulfil their obligation to appoint a small business champion to their Board, as announced at the last Budget.

“While a number of LEPs up and down the country have proven effective at driving growth, more must be done to ensure partnerships are delivering for their local economies.”