More controversy in the bid for Local Enterprise Partnership
NORTH Lincolnshire Council's decision to bid for a Humber-wide Local Enterprise Partnership has been met with more controversy.
North Lincolnshire Council submitted its bid, which calls for an LEP between the four Humber councils, to the Government yesterday.
But with the Hull and East Riding Councils snubbing the south bank to link up with Scarborough, Conservative councillors have claimed they were not properly consulted over the plans.
Councillor Liz Redfern said: "Not once throughout this process did Councillor Kirk have the courtesy to discuss North Lincolnshire's future with me and other elected members.
"He acknowledges that agreement could not be reached with his neighbouring authorities, so what does he do? Goes ahead with his view regardless.
"As I understand it, his approach is typical of why he couldn't reach an agreement and on how he tries to bulldoze everything through, so much for the genuine partnership between civic leaders."
With bids now being considered by the Government, business secretary Vince Cable is keen for an upper limit of 30 LEPs, despite 44 bids having been submitted.
There is thought to be disagreement between Liberal Democrat and Conservative politicians over whether ministers or businesses should choose between opposing bids.
Councillor Mark Kirk said: "We have made our position clear on a Humber-wide LEP, based on the evidence and the views of businesses, I am not aware of a single large business in deepest Lincolnshire that has contacted us arguing for a LEP beyond the Humber.
"The Humber is a self-contained unit, so much so that 96 residents out of every 100 work in the Humber.
"Our submission has now gone off and we'll see where that takes us, but I have no doubt that we are reflecting the views of business and there is every indication more business people are angry that a LEP which breaks up the Humber can even be considered.
"Tensions between Tory and Lib Dem ministers is turning the whole thing into a Whitehall farce."
Meanwhile, council leaders in Hull and the East Riding have snubbed their south bank counterparts by proposing a new link-up with counterparts in Scarborough.
In a joint statement, the three authorities said their outline proposal followed a series of "intensive" meetings with senior business figures across the region.
Councillor Stephen Parnaby, leader of East Riding Of Yorkshire Council, said: "I am very pleased with the way the proposal is shaping up and I am confident that the business community is behind us.
"The way we intend to work will recognise the distinct, but closely-related needs of city, coast and countryside."
Neil Poole, chairman of the North Lincolnshire Federation of Small Businesses, said: "Small and medium size businesses are the backbone of the local and regional economy.
"Their views should have been fully included and represented in the North Lincolnshire LEP proposal."
6 Comments
by ant, Scunny
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 7:32PM
“Normal Norman..
Kirk is the councillor for Crosby & Park which includes the Berkley estate where he lives.However reguardless of that fact it is NLC,s forgotten estate with no interest being shown in it by not only NLC but to a certain amount by Humberside Police!”
by Andy, WHV
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 7:28PM
“All these narrow minded posts lead me to question, how do you think other regions have advanced economies and attract large amounts of private investment in comparison to the Humber region? Its a sad shame that all of these areas have well worked out partnerships between local authorities over their proper economic geographical areas. Greater Manchester for one. Do you hear people in Stockport wanting Manchester airport to be renamed Stockport International? It would make good business sence to rename Humberside airport Hull/Lincolnshire or Hull and Humber Airport.
Unfortunately intelligence on these forums is at an all time low, no matter what, people on the south bank will still have to rely on Hull for many amenaties, Hull has critical mass. Did you know Hull is 114 in the Larger Urban Zones in Europe? Seems small, yet Scunthorpe will not be on that list. Add Scunthorpe and Grimsby to that and the placing would shoot up even further!
In an ideal world, a better thought out partnership would bring each local authority together and take off from where Humberside failed, with a proper cohesive development framework and a much better spread of funding between the area. Abolishing the bridge tolls would create a much larger population on the south bank over time. It would be a win win situation.
Unfortunately the short sightedness of our councils will ensure that such steps are never made and that the economy of the region (and the IQ of many of its inhabitants) will remain well behind those areas which actually have a more adult approach to their economic growth.”
by The Voice of Reason, In front of my PC
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 6:51PM
“Why is Kaptain Kirk wanting to join up with those north bank leeches again, when they formed Humberside all the money was being generated down here in the south but being spent up there in the north, those up north were that paranoid about promoting the north that they even called the airport Humberside Hull airport and people drove over the bridge from the south to be told it was in the south. our roads down here are a farce compared with the system up there, where can you go from the southern end of the bridge - east or west, you cant go south as the road has not been built - a road that has been in dire need of being built to replace the poorly developed dangerous A15, you cannot go anywhere in Lincolnshire by motorway barring the 180 up here the rest of the county is virtually devoid of them because all the benefits went north.
Kirk and the Klingons want to join up the the northerners, would this have anything to do with the fact that NLC is now in a political wilderness surround by blue and yellow apart from the Hull lot.
Look if these wind farms and other major development on the south bank get under way we will be able to buy Hull in a couple of years, leave them alone up there and lets get the money spent in the same counties its generated in.
NLC, NELC and Lincolnshire council should be joining forces to create an LEP and bring back the power of the Yellowbellies.”
by kno it all, barton-upon-humber
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 4:42PM
“Once again it appears Captain Kirk has not had discussions with other local elected councilors or as usual totally ignored them!The trouble with Captain Kirk is he thinks he wants / needs to be top dog,but hopefully next May he'll be history .The council leaders on the north bank have sussed him out and put him in his place.
An LEP partnership with North East Lincs, and Lincolnshire would be an ideal solution.
If Kirk ,who I believe lives in a dream world is convinced that Able UK can get permission to build and deliver the Humber Gateway then we don't need the north bank.!”
by Normal Norman, Skinthrope Ward
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 2:22PM
“There is no Berkley Ward, or even a Berkely Ward. Berk.”
by ant, Scunthorpe
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 2:14PM
“Perhaps it might be better if Kirk showed a bit more response on the problems in his own ward(Berkley) instead of on high profile ones so he can get his photo on the front page again.”