Our alternative LEP will have a board stuffed full of owner managers of micro enterprises.
Don’t get me wrong we will have ‘token’ small and medium sized board members too – but will draw the line at Big Business. They have enough lobbying clout and influence to fight their own battles.
So what type of policies would our board look at developing?
- Programmes to promote local supply chains and sourcing from micro-enteprise wherever practical
- Conduct a major overhaul of commissioning and procurement processes in the public sector (local authorities and NHS as primary targets) and where possible big businesses to ensure that they are as micro-enterprise friendsly as possible
- Divert training and learning budgets away from FE colleges and pay owner managers to take on apprenctices and teach them current, commercial practices. Move the locus for learning from the class room into the workplace.
- Develop ways to enable micro-enterprises to co-operate and collaborate so they they can punch above their weight. Promote collaborative consumption and production.
- Promote local economy arguments and the importance of keeping cash in local peoples hands rather than handing it over to multi-nationals
What other policy areas would an alt-LEP that understood micro enterprise seek to develop?