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File on 4: Kick Starting Recovery?

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Kick Starting Recovery?

09/08/2011

BBC Radio 4 - File on 4, Kick Starting Recovery?

Can the government's strategy to boost local enterprise recover from a 'chaotic' start?

The government's strategy to boost local enterprise in England got off to a poor start. Vince Cable admitted it was 'Maoist and chaotic'. Can it recover to help businesses grow?

The Government's strategy to boost local enterprise in England began poorly. The Director of the CBI criticised it as 'a shambles' and Business Secretary Vince Cable admitted it was 'Maoist and chaotic'.

Now 36 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been established with the aim of supporting economic growth and innovation and encouraging a network of Enterprise Zones. But some experts remain sceptical. They claim that the policy has failed to put business interests first and that in some parts of the country it has been hijacked by local politicians. Others complain that areas of deprivation have been overlooked in favour of more affluent neighbours. There is also concern that the strategy is not implementing the government's policy of localism. 

Can LEPs deliver the economic fruits they promise? Or will some just fizzle out, as one insider fears? Gerry Northam reports.

Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane
Editor: David Ross.

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