Who we are
The Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a business-led, multi-sector partnership mandated by government to lead activities that drive local economic growth. To date we have secured and allocated £182m of UK and European public funds to deliver a wide range of initiatives in the Thames Valley Berkshire area. Alongside London, the area is the UK’s economic powerhouse contributing over £42.5bn in GVA (2018 provisional) to the national economy.
What we do
We contribute to the sustainable economic growth of the Berkshire area through the implementation of a Strategic Economic Plan, which has four programmes:
Business Environment
The success of your business is essential to Berkshire and the UK economy. The LEP has funded initiatives to improve the business support available across the area, including the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator, a Business Growth Hub where all companies can start their growth journey.
Skills, Education & Employment
To achieve the highest levels of education in our workforce, we are helping to develop five new Solutions Labs, which will equip young people with essential STEM skills. Through a Skills Report, we are identifying where skills deficits are proving to be a barrier to economic growth and where intervention can have the greatest impact, and with the Careers & Enterprise Company, we have developed an Enterprise Adviser Network, linking school leadership teams with business.
International
We are continuing to promote the area’s key growth sectors and its value proposition to encourage international businesses to invest and grow their supply chains in Berkshire.
Infrastructure
We are enhancing Berkshire’s connectivity by investing in transport improvements; commissioning evidence to underpin strategic infrastructure such as airports and rail links to airports; and investing in digital connectivity that will offer superfast broadband coverage to 95% of all premises by the end of 2017.
