Transfer of Functions – The LEP is Changing
On 4 August 2023, the UK Government announced that it would cease to provide core funding for LEPs from 1 April 2024 and instead support Local Authorities (LAs) to take on the functions currently delivered by LEPs.
This means that the Cumbria LEP, one of the best performing in the country, will transfer its staff and contractual activities to Cumberland Council as from 1 April 2024.
In Cumbria, Cumberland Council will take over responsibility on behalf of both itself and Westmorland and Furness Council for the delivery of economic activity across the whole of Cumbria, including delivering government funded activity to support businesses and the economy.
The LEP’s staff, who successfully deliver a wide range of business support, skills and advice programmes, including Skills Bootcamps, Careers and Enterprise and international relationships will transfer to Cumberland Council under TUPE arrangements. Details of the Team Members being transferred to the new Cumbria economic growth team are:
| NAME | JOB TITLE |
|---|---|
| Alistair Craig | Net Zero Programme Manager |
| Cath Dutton | Careers Hub Manager |
| Paul Foster | Head of Programmes |
| Lucy Johnson | Programme Administrator |
| Sarah Jones | Skills Bootcamp Project Manager |
| Naomi Morgan | Skills Bootcamp Programme Manager |
| Jon Power | Internationalisation Manager |
| Rachelle Poyntz | Enterprise Co-Ordinator |
| Leslie Rickerby | Business Support Programme Manager |
| Jo Tate | Operational Hub Lead |
| Brian White | Clean Energy Project Manager |
These Team members will be retaining all of their existing contact details (email, phone number etc) in the interim and will remain based in the Redhills office at Penrith.
However, the LEP is not disappearing overnight and will be providing transitional support to the new arrangements, with the existing LEP Board acting as the Economic Growth Body, until this new body is in place. The LEP will also be maintaining our existing governance structure so that the voice of business and other stakeholders is heard, alongside delivering some of our work programmes and grant funding programmes to businesses.
The intention is that this transitional period will run through until 30 September 2024, with the LEP increasingly moving into its ‘sunset’ phase as that date gets closer and as the new Economic Growth Body moves into its ‘sunrise’ phase.
Branding and a new website is being developed for the new economic growth team and once this in place the LEP website will signpost you to this. In the meantime, watch this space for further developments.
If you have any queries please contact info@thecumbrialep.co.uk and we will ensure that your query is directed to the right person.