Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) are still failing to engage with voluntary organisations and social enterprises, according to research by IPPR North and Acevo.

A study of eight LEPs in the north of England found that only half have a representative from the voluntary sector on the board, while one did not even mention the sector in its initial proposal.

This is despite the fact that the government’s white paper on regional growth explicitly recognised the voluntary sector as a stakeholder of the new partnerships.

The findings come as part of Drawing on all resources, a report which examines the economic contribution that voluntary organisations and social enterprises make to the region, how they could contribute further and their relationship with their LEP.

Recommendations

The report argues that central government should:

• Be more explicit about the role of the voluntary sector in rebalancing the economy
• Encourage the second wave of LEPs to consider the role of the sector more specifically in their proposals
• Send clear messages about stakeholder engagement being beyond public and private interests.

“Local Enterprise Partnerships which overlook the sector are really missing a trick”, said Jenny Berry (pictured), director of the north for Acevo.

“The voluntary sector and social enterprise have a huge amount of experience and knowledge to offer these new partnerships.

“They can bring added value not only in terms of their contribution to economic development but also their understanding of local communities, their ability to identify policy gaps and to act as a critical friend when necessary.”

Issue raised with central government

The issue was first raised by Acevo’s chief executive Stephen Bubb at the umbrella body’s national conference in November last year.

Acevo has now written to the minister of state for decentralisation and planning policy Greg Clarke MP complaining about the lack of reference to the sector in the government’s initial letter to inviting local authorities and private groups to establish LEPs.

The letter also warns him of its findings that 70 per cent of approved LEPs had no plans for voluntary sector representation on their partnership boards.