Stoke Staffs LEP

Our Vision: Supporting business growth in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

Focus on creating the best environment we can for businesses

The LEP is undertaking a range of projects to help support business growth right now, including:

  • Cutting red tape to help businesses do business
  • Launching an Education, Employment and Skills Board to bridge the skills gap
  • Running a business helpline that’s available five days a week whatever your business question
  • Improving access to funding, finance and loans
  • Providing a first class inward investment service through Make It Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire
  • Encouraging enterprise through the development of enterprise zones such as Ceramic Valley in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, and i54 in South Staffordshire, ensuring that businesses have the opportunity to grow in bespoke facilities, and benefit businesses throughout the supply chain.

Continue to work with businesses to understand their needs and expectations

The LEP is a partnership between businesses and the public sector and draws on the expertise of both to drive business growth and economic success. The LEP Board and subgroups include many business leaders from a wide range of organisations across the region, who provide a unique insight into the demands placed on businesses. We also undertake regular surveys which are used to inform our work.

Revise our Strategic Economic Plan to ensure we can can deliver the jobs and business growth needed in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

The Government is ensuring that LEPs have the resources they need to invest in the local economy and enhancing efforts to support business growth.

From City Deals to Local Growth Funds the LEP’s role is to develop a clear strategy and approach to utilise these resources to support a dynamic local economy. Some of the areas include:

  • The development of skills within the local area
  • Start-up support for new SMEs
  • Supporting established firms to expand through export events

Strategy and progress

A strong economy is vital for the long term future of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and the only way to achieve this is to support business.

If businesses are successful they will enjoy increased profits, invest more and create more jobs. This in turn will lower unemployment, increase the opportunities available for local people and raise the standards of living – which, in turn, means that local people will spend more with local businesses and so the cycle continues.

To create the right climate for business in the region, the LEP is focused on:

                    • Stimulating enterprise, innovation and inward investment
                    • Bringing forward key employment sites
                    • Supporting towns, city and service centre developments
                    • Building on existing industrial sectors and those with future potential for growth
                    • Developing a well skilled workforce to meet current and future labour market needs
                    • Ensuring appropriate housing to meet the needs to current and future workforce
                    • Developing and improving infrastructure to promote connectivity and mobility

Strategic Economic Plan

Our Strategic Economic Plan was developed through a series of workshops and programme of research undertaken by consultants Regeneris, by partners, Local Authorities, and in-house. A series of events was held during the development phase which involved a range of business and other partners to discuss the headline issues and identify priorities. In addition, the review was discussed at events held by partners when their views were sought.

This work led to the development of a draft document which was circulated widely with business and partners for comment and input. The Local Authorities also undertook a complementary evidence review which has been published and was similarly the subject of a series of workshops.

In November 2017, the final draft was the subject of a consultation exercise which was promoted extensively through newsletters, representative organisations, direct contact and social media. The responses to this consultation resulted in further amendments before the final document was published in April 2018.

The SEP sets our overall strategy for the area. This is now been taken forwards in the development of the Local Industrial Strategy.

Throughout the year we hold events to test our assumptions, learn and improve in discussion with businesses.

Read our Strategic Economic Plan here: SSLEP Strategic Economic Plan April 2018