Exemplas has made a significant contribution to regional economic development in England in response to recent changes in UK Government policy.
With the OECD reporting that over-centralised governance in the UK was threatening economic growth, the UK Government embarked on its ‘Devolving Decision Making’ agenda.
This was aimed at creating new regional structures in the nine English regions to support economic development resulting in the creation of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).
These RDAs were tasked to create a regional economic strategy and implement it. A key aspect of the strategies includes business support, environment and the development of the labour market in terms of skills and employment growth.
Exemplas has been a key player in implementing regional economic strategies. The company is a main contractor to RDAs and has operated a portfolio of over €140 million worth of contract in the East of England, Greater London, Yorkshire and the Humber.
With the development of new arrangements for sub national economic development, most notably the development of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Exemplas is well placed to play a key role moving forward. Exemplas is playing a key facilitorial and advisory role with a number of LEPs in their development and with government departments launching new services to support targeted businesses and start ups.