Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership
Name	Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership
Formation	2010
Type	Local enterprise partnership
Headquarters	Truro
Region served	Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Leader title	Chair

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership was established as a regional economic development body combining private sector leadership with public authorities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It acted to channel investment, coordinate strategic plans and bid for national funds alongside entities such as Cornwall Council, Isles of Scilly Council and national departments including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The partnership interfaced with major initiatives such as the Local Growth Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the National Infrastructure Commission.

History and formation

The LEP was created in 2010 following the UK government's drive to devolve economic decision-making to local areas, joining a network that included the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Founding arrangements involved prominent figures from Falmouth University, University of Exeter, IFL Science Park stakeholders, and executives from companies like Goonhilly Earth Station and Harrison Group (retailer). Early programmes built on prior regional strategies such as the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Strategy and succeeded legacy bodies including the Cornwall Development Company. The LEP subsequently engaged with the European Investment Bank and responded to structural changes prompted by the UK general election, 2010 and policy shifts under the Coalition government of 2010–2015.

Governance and organisation

Governance combined a private-sector-led board with local authority representatives from Cornwall Council and the Isles of Scilly Council, and non-executive directors drawn from organisations such as Kensa Heat Pumps, South West Water, EDF Energy, Tregothnan Estate, and Cornish Lithium. The chairmanship rotated among business leaders, while operational delivery relied on partnerships with bodies including Visit Cornwall, Cornwall College, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, and the Penwith Housing Association. Accountability mechanisms referenced national frameworks such as the Local Government Act 2000 and reporting lines into programmes administered by HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Advisory panels addressed sectors including aerospace at Newquay Aerohub, maritime at Penzance Harbour, and creative industries linked to St Ives School of Painting stakeholders.

Strategy and priorities

Strategic priorities targeted sectors with comparative advantage: renewable energy projects around Wave Hub, high-tech initiatives affiliated with Goonhilly Earth Station, and marine science collaborations with Plymouth Marine Laboratory and National Oceanography Centre. The LEP promoted tourism development via links to Eden Project, St Michael's Mount, and UNESCO Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, and advanced skills agendas with Truro and Penwith College and Falmouth University. Other focal areas included digital connectivity projects tied to Project Gigabit, low-carbon construction initiatives referencing Passivhaus, and food and drink value chains involving Wadebridge Farmers Market suppliers and Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm. Strategic documents aligned with national plans such as the Industrial Strategy White Paper and regional frameworks like the South West Regional Development Agency legacy documents.

Economic impact and projects

Key investments encompassed infrastructure upgrades, innovation hubs, and business support schemes. Notable projects included funding for the A30 improvements near Bodmin, support for the Goonhilly Earth Station satellite ground station redevelopment, and grants for the Eden Project North feasibility work. The LEP backed enterprise zones at Newquay Aerohub and small business grants for firms such as Jersey Dairy suppliers and craft manufacturers tied to St Austell Brewery. Interventions delivered through partnerships with UK Research and Innovation, Innovate UK, and the British Business Bank sought to boost productivity in sectors exposed to national competition such as aerospace suppliers, marine engineering at Falmouth Harbour, and hospitality operations serving Padstow and Fowey. Evaluation reports attributed job creation, apprenticeship placements via Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, and leveraged private investment to LEP activity, though outcomes varied across rural and island communities.

Funding and partnerships

The LEP's funding model combined national programme allocations from the Local Growth Fund, match-funding from European Regional Development Fund allocations, and private sector contributions from entities such as Kensa Heat Pumps and Tresco Estate Company. Delivery partners included educational institutions like University of Plymouth, infrastructure bodies such as Network Rail for rail and station works at St Austell railway station and port authorities including Falmouth Harbour Commissioners. Collaborative funding brought in philanthropic support from foundations linked to Prince's Trust initiatives and sectoral investment via Cefas collaborations. Following the UK's exit from the European Union, successor arrangements involved the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and re-negotiated bilateral agreements with national departments.

Criticism and controversies

The partnership faced scrutiny over allocation decisions and transparency, with critics comparing performance to other bodies such as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and raising concerns echoed in debates over the Local Growth Fund distribution. Specific controversies included disputes about project prioritisation for infrastructure versus community services, contested bids around the A30 corridor, and debates over the economic case for projects like Eden Project North. Questions were raised about governance when private-sector board appointments overlapped with interests in grant-receiving firms, prompting reviews referencing standards comparable to those applied under the Public Accounts Committee. Post-Brexit funding transitions and the winding down of European Structural and Investment Funds also sparked debate about long-term sustainability for island and rural communities dependent on LEP-supported programmes.

Category:Economy of Cornwall Category:Isles of Scilly