2. the economic development partnership, operated jointly by the private and public sectors in the area, to promote the South East Midlands as a prime growth location for business, investors and visitors. a board of 15 volunteers - six private and six public sectors directors, a director from the training provider, further and higher education worlds, an observer from the voluntary and community sector and an independent private sector chair. SEMLEP comprises SEMLEP is

4. The SEMLEP area

5. To ensure that the SEMLEP Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone successfully delivers its initial targets for new jobs and businesses by March 2013. Targets 1.Deliver 500 net new jobs in SEMLEP Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone 2.Create 50 new businesses that are successfully operating in SEMLEP Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone Objective 1 Objective 2 To attract new overseas business into the South East Midlands through accelerated delivery of all SEMLEP local authorities inward investment plans Targets 1.analyse and evaluate the operation of agreed arrangements that have been put in place for inward investment across the South East Midlands 2.identify and recommend for adoption ways in which these arrangements could be further enhanced for the benefit of partners and the South East Midlands area as a whole

6. To facilitate investment in key new physical infrastructure to unlock short and medium term development across SEMLEP Targets 1.Create a revolving SEMLEP Local Infrastructure Fund for both short and medium term use 2.Identify and prioritize key infrastructure delivery projects that will accelerate growth in jobs, businesses and homes across the area and beyond, putting into practice board policy of cross boundary cooperation between local authorities /LEPs Objective 3 Objective 4 To facilitate investment in key digital infrastructure to accelerate development across SEMLEP Targets 1.analyse the existing coverage of next generation access (NGA) broadband across the SE Midlands 2.identify ways in which coverage can be increased, particularly in rural areas and for the benefit of businesses and the digitally excluded

7. To work with the secondary, further, higher, voluntary and community, and private sector education and training providers across SEMLEP to ensure skills outcomes match business and social enterprise needs Targets 1.Working with the FE and HE South East Midlands Universities (SEMU), and private training providers, local authority officers, the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), relevant Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and other appropriate bodies establish a methodology through which SEMLEP can derive the maximum resources for the range of providers in our area Objective 5 Objective 6 To support all SEMLEP local authorities to deliver their economic development plans and related activities designed to stimulate growth, engage with business and enhance SEMLEPS reputation in its showcase sectors Targets 1.Identify and benchmark the number of existing jobs 1 in each of the SEMLEP local authority areas, particularly in showcase sectors, to create an agreed baseline 2.Increase the number of net new jobs by 3%

8. SEMLEP Key Achievements SEMLEP was established as a company in May 2011 and the Chair and Board were in place by November 2011. The Business Plan for 2012-13 ‘Getting down to Business’ focuses on 6 key objectives with achievement measured against quantifiable delivery targets. SEMLEP’s income for the year from local authority contributions and Government grants was around £230k of which around £54k was used for contracted support. This enabled establishment of the website, running the office at Cranfield, supporting Board meetings and advisory and sector groups. The Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone, designated in July 2011, is one of SEMLEP’s key objectives. Progress has been made throughout last year including:  Funding of £10m secured for the development of Castle Rail Station.  New Carlsberg bottling plant cost£65m and willdeliver 60 new jobs in 2013.  Innovation Centre to be constructed in the St Peter’s area later in 2013 has secured £7.5m investment and will support around 55 small businesses  Student accommodation for University of Northampton will provide 464 rooms.

9. SEMLEP Key Achievements £18.7m of Growing Places Fund resources was made available to SEMLEP in February 2012 to allocate to projects that will unlock development potential and deliver jobs. £7m of this fund has been allocated to support the Enterprise Zone. Five projects have been supported in principle: Marston Vale Innovation Park, Electric Corby, Kettering Green Energy Park, Silverstone ‘Access to Jobs’ and the continuation of the Bedford western bypass. These will deliver a combined total of around 12,800 jobs and 7,200 homes over the next 10 years. In addition £1m of Growing Places Fund resources has been allocated to take forward the East West Rail project. Four transport projects within the SEMLEP area have received funding to deliver economic benefits. These are the A43/A5 at Towcester, Junctions 9 and 10 on the M40 near Bicester and Black Cat roundabout on the A1. A single point of enquiry has been established for potential investors coming through UKTI and looking for locations in the SEMLEP area. In 2011/12 SEMLEP was 6 th amongst LEPs in securing 29 projects with an associated 1,090 jobs.

10. SEMLEP Key Achievements Groups to support SEMLEP’s showcase sectors have been established. For High Performance Technology (encompassing motorsport) the group includes neighbouring LEPs – Northamptonshire, Bucks Thames Valley, Coventry and Warwickshire, Black Country, Oxfordshire and Leicester and Leicestershire. PDIIDG, a private sector led advisory group to the Board, has provided valuable advice to the Board from a private sector perspective on financial planning for the Enterprise Zone and the operation of the Growing Places Fund. The four unitary authorities in SEMLEP will shortly form a Local Transport Board, which will enable decisions on major transport schemes to be taken locally. In the second wave of potential ‘City Deals’, Milton Keynes has been invited to work with SEMLEP to put forward a bid to use innovative ways of delivering jobs and economic benefits for residents and businesses in Milton Keynes and the rest of the South East Midlands. SEMLEP has been chosen by Government as one of 4 ‘growth’ LEPs nationally to pilot innovative ways of working with business and government to unlock local barriers to growth.

11. SEMLEP Contacts Get in touch: @southeastmidlan 01234 436100 info@semlep.com www.semlep.com

12. SEMLEP Manufacturing and Advanced Technology Dr Walter Greaves SEMLEP Board Champion

13. SEMLEP Manufacturing and Advanced Technology Kevin Shepherd Manufacturing Adviser Grant Thornton

14. SEMLEP supports Growth Accelerator Tony Cox Growth Accelerator Pera Consulting

15. Report on Success for SMEs Silvia Vitiello Partner Kingston Smith

16. SEMLEP Business Engagement Group Maxine Aldred Chair of Business Engagement Group Federation of Small Businesses