Data & Research

Local insight

We renewed our Strategic Economic Plan and Evidence Base in 2023 to ensure that we and partners have access to current relevant information about our local economy.  This provided an update on the Strategic Economic Plan 2019 which was developed through extensive consultation with partners, including the business community.

The draft Marches Local Industrial Strategy 2020 was developed to complement our SEP and focused on opportunities to deliver clean growth and improved productivity, in an inclusive and sustainable way.  We developed it by working with local stakeholders and established a new evidence base to clearly demonstrate local strengths and opportunities.

The Marches LEP Economic Recovery Plan 2021 provides an overview of key actions undertaken by the LEP to lead economic recovery across our geography following the impact of local flooding and the global pandemic.

The Marches LEP Annual Economic Review 2019 provides a snapshot of the economic health of the Marches looking at a variety of indicators, from both national and local sources.

As part of the Marches LEP’s work with Midlands Engine, it supported the development of the Midlands Engine LEP Profile – The Marches which collates economic insight across five foundations of productivity: Ideas, People, Infrastructure, Business Environment and Place.

Detailed, regularly updated regional evidence sets may also be found at Midlands Engine Intelligence Hub.

Marches Land Use Study

In January 2023 the Marches LEP, in collaboration with the Marches Nature Partnership (MNP), commissioned a land use opportunities study of the Marches aiming to explore and identify areas with the greatest opportunity for green investment and sustainable land use changes.

The Marches Land Use Study Report, published in September 2023, identifies the methods and results of the work undertaken and is supported by an accompanying investment prospectus based on the study outputs.

Marches LEP Interactive Data Insight Tool

Created and supported by the Black Country Economic Intelligence Unit, with funding from the Department for Education, this interactive data tool gives insight and information on the Marches area, through live data, around:

• Jobs, Earnings and Claimant Count
• Enterprises, Regional Business Activity and GVA
• Skills and Qualifications

Access the live data tool here

Key sector insight

Our businesses define our economy with clear existing and emerging specialisms and strengths. Understanding our assets and business base is vital if we are to effectively target action to drive growth.

To complete our understanding of business base, the LEP has commissioned the following research into key sectors. You can view and download this research using the links on this page.

Skills insight:

Our Skills Advisory Panel has overseen the development of an analytical tool kit and evidence base. This is used to inform investment decisions and influence how our skills challenges can best be met. The panel provides strong leadership on skills in the local area through commissioning data and evidence into skills issues, engagement with training providers and liaison with employers. Click here to learn more.

Sector Deep Dives have been carried out to understand skills issues in the Marches key sectors. The Executive Summary introduces work carried out by the SAP looking at the key sectors.

A study into the construction sector was also completed as part of our partnership working with CITB.