Report to the People
Enterprise Committee Report
If you read this column often, you will know that I am a big fan of the committee system in the Parliament. They are an important feature of the Parliament and their non-partisan, co-operative structure is already delivering results.
And last Wednesday, the committee of which I am a member, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, published the results of our 8 month long Inquiry into the Delivery of Local Economic Development Services in Scotland.
It may not at first sight seem like the most exciting subject. But when you consider how many people now work in small or medium sized companies, the need for clear, effective support for enterprise – and the jobs it creates – is apparent.
Throughout our investigations, certain themes emerged. It was made clear that the current system of provision of economic development services from Local Enterprise Companies (LECs), local authorities and enterprise trusts is congested, confused and riddled with duplication.
In short, change is urgently required.
This hard hitting report leaves the providers of local economic development services in no doubt: they must eliminate duplication and deliver value for money, or face losing government funding.
Important as it is to identify the faults in a system, simply complaining is not enough. It is vital that constructive proposals are also put forward.
This, I believe, we have done.
At the heart of our proposals is our recognition of the need for an improved service for the local business community. They are, after all, the consumers of these services. We need a system which meets their needs, focuses on delivery and is fully transparent.
That is why we are calling for the creation of Local Economic Forums, whose job it will be to develop an economic strategy for each area. This strategy will include well-defined three-year targets and clear boundaries between service providers.
But every march beings with one step. And the first crucial step to improving the effectiveness of services to consumers must be to bring an end to competition between publicly funded bodies. To achieve this goal, the Executive must be prepared to impose financial penalties on any agency which fails to participate effectively in this process.
Our inquiry findings move the debate on from simply complaining about the current delivery set up. I believe that this report offers realistic proposals which will radically improve business development support in Greenock & Inverclyde – and indeed across Scotland.
The full report is available online from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/enter-00/elr00-01v1-01.htm
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