A key strand of this Government’s business strategy, Local Enterprise Partnerships have been in existence for over 2 years and their role and influence in prioritising infrastructure investment continues to grow. 

 The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership is one of the smallest and is co-terminus with the County boundary.  The Partnership has encouraged the development of stronger working relationships spanning the public, business and academic sectors.  The invitation for the Local Enterprise Partnership to provide leadership alongside the local authorities in the development of a ‘city-deal’ proposal to Government, has seen those relationships strengthen further and enabled a clear vision for economic growth to be developed.  The anticipated success of the ‘city-deal’, with its potential to secure additional investment in infrastructure, is providing the springboard for the work being taken forward to develop Oxfordshire’s ambitious Strategic Economic Plan – which will in turn underpin Oxfordshire’s bid to the Local Growth Fund in 2014.  Investment in transport infrastructure is critical to realising the potential of the Oxfordshire economy. 

At this evening presentation, Nigel Tipple (Chief Executive of the Local Enterprise Partnership) and Martin Tugwell (Deputy Director, Oxfordshire County Council) set out how the Partnership is acting as a catalyst for change across Oxfordshire.