AN ECONOMIC partnership will launch its annual report in Westminster's corridors of power.

The Marches local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will launch its report tomorrow (Tuesday, June 26) at a House of Commons summit.

Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin have been invited to join LEP board members, Government officials and civil servants for the launch.

The LEP’s annual report details progress on its work driving economic growth across the region over the last 12 months and its plans to build on its work over the next year.

Marches LEP chairman Graham Wynn said the launch provided an excellent opportunity for the LEP to hold talks with some of its key London-based and regional partners.

“We are delighted to be staging this event at the House of Commons, where we can bring together some of the people whose support and input is so important to helping make our work a success.

“This summit will play an important part in the comprehensive consultation we have launched over our new Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). This will give a detailed analysis of the Marches economy as it stands and pinpoint the key areas which will help the region sustain and develop growth.

“We are also drawing up a new Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) to underpin this plan, and will be able to take the opportunity of this summit to discuss some of the main points with national officials.”

Board members will hold talks with every MP from the Marches region during the launch, which will be hosted by Mr Wynn, director Gill Hamer and senior politicians from the region’s councils.

It will also include briefings with senior civil servants and the LEP's new Westminster senior sponsor Hardip Begol, director for integration and Communities at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The private sector-led Marches LEP has launched a major consultation exercise with businesses over its SEP and the LIS to tackle barriers to growth, training and skills shortfalls and identify key sectors which will drive growth over the next decade.

A spokesman for the LEP said that it had already helped attract £285m of Government, European, public and private sector funding to Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin.