The LEP is committed to working with partners both within the Marches, the wider Midlands and across LEP and border areas for the benefit of the people who live and work here.
The LEP Network sees all 38 of the UK partnerships come together on areas of shared importance, to work with Government, and share knowledge and good practice.
It acts as the lead commentator and negotiator for LEPs at a national level with government, advisers, businesses, academia, think tanks and other target audiences. It also acts as a central source of information and data on LEPs at a national level.
Learn moreIn March 2017, the Midlands Engine Strategy was launched as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to making the Midlands a powerful engine for economic growth. The Marches covers a huge swathe of the Midlands Engine region, which stretches from Shropshire in the west to Lincolnshire in the east and is home to a £217.7 billion economy.
Learn moreIn 2016, the Marches LEP took the decision to work more closely with our neighbours in Mid Wales and as a result hosted an event with the Growing Mid Wales Partnership to explore the challenges and opportunities that the two regions have in common.
Transport, both road and rail, was initially identified as common challenge and as a result, we have jointly developed the Marches and Mid Wales Freight Strategy with the support of the Welsh Government given the importance of both Welsh and Irish marketplaces to our businesses. Other common opportunities and challenges identified included skills, manufacturing and the food and drink sector and we will continue to work with Growing Mid Wales to address these for the benefit of both our regions.
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