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PLEDGE TO WORK FOR JOBS AND GROWTH IN 'NEW ANGLIA'

17 Jan 2011

Top business leaders and politicians from across Norfolk and Suffolk spoke with one voice

Top business leaders and politicians from across Norfolk and Suffolk spoke with one voice as they pledged to work together to create jobs and economic growth for the people of "New Anglia". 
 
At the first briefing of the Norfolk and Suffolk Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), known as New Anglia, it emerged four Norfolk bids could be submitted in the first round of Regional Growth Fund cash, with more planned in April. 
 
But a note of caution was sounded about the scale of funding likely to be available and the scope of what could be achieved in the short term. 
 
The briefing came as energy minister Charles Hendry paid a visit to the region to learn more about the role being played by the regions in developing the country's energy future.  
 
The New Anglia LEP, which was given the green light in December, is one of 27 organisations formed nationally after the government announced it was axing regional development agencies. 
 
The government is hoping that by creating the public and private sector enterprise partnerships in "more meaningful economic areas" it will help the areas determine their economic priorities locally and will drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs.  
 
Adnams chief executive and Choose Suffolk chairman Andy Wood, said: "I think people were well engaged and they supported the direction the LEP is moving in. 
 
"I think we are feeling our way at the moment and clearly the private and public sectors have different ways of working. If you look at this from an entirely self interested perspective what we all want to see if jobs and economic growth and to put Norfolk and Suffolk on the map both nationally and internationally. We have got a real opportunity to make that happen now. 
 
"What we have seen is that the public sector is prepared to work with business.  
 
"I think there is a whole new way of approaching things and it's very very refreshing." 
 
But he said he had hoped that more individual businesses would sign up to the LEP. 
 
Peter Barry, managing director of Pasta Foods who is jointly chairing the LEP with Mr Wood, said both the private and public sector were singing from the same hymn sheet. 
 
He said "We think New Anglia has got to be selective about the priorities it can deliver in the short term and then the view about what can happen in the long term."

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