Guildford Borough Council has welcomed the news that Enterprise M3 has won its bid to become a local enterprise partnership (LEP).
LEPs are the new style economic partnerships which bring together local business and civic leaders to support their local economy.
Covering parts of Surrey and north Hampshire, Enterprise M3 spans an area around the M3 motorway responsible for producing £25 billion worth of goods and services annually, with 57,000 registered businesses, 537,000 jobs and a population of over a million people.
Enterprise M3 will now appoint a board and start work. A conference is planned for April to identify key priorities to meet the needs of businesses – from large multinational companies to sole traders and start-ups – in an environmentally sustainable way.
Guildford Borough Council’s chief executive, David Hill, said:
“Enterprise M3 breaks down traditional local government boundaries and works in an area that makes much more sense for local businesses. It forms a really strong local economic partnership, based around the vital transport link of the M3. It brings together the major employment centres of Guildford, Basingstoke and Farnborough, building on the existing strengths to overcome challenges and provide a strong environment for business.”
For further information visit www.guildford.gov.uk/LEP or contact Chris Howard on 01483 444329 or chris.howard@guildford.gov.uk
