KENT NEWS: Kent MP and minister for decentralisation Greg Clark today hosted a high-level meeting with business groups, local authorities and think tanks to discuss the creation of local enterprise partnerships.

The Tunbridge Wells MP led the meeting with regional and local economic development minister Mark Prisk.

It was also attended by Kent County Council deputy leader Cllr Alex King, and representatives from Confederation of British Industry; Federation of Small Businesses; British Chambers of Commerce; Engineering Employers Federation; and Institute of Directors.

Local enterprise partnerships will take over some of the work of regional development agencies, which are being scrapped by the coalition government.

Representatives discussed the issues and opportunities they see arising from the new structures and highlighted their areas’ priorities for growth.

They also talked about issues in relation to the size, scope and geography they would want from a local enterprise partnership.

Mr Clark said: "The arbitrary division of the country into regions conformed to government bodies rather than natural economic areas.

“This gives the right of initiative back to councils and businesses to say how they wish to best organise themselves to pursue economic growth.”

In the Coalition agreement, the Government announced that it would abolish the Regional Development Agencies and replace them with local enterprise partnerships - joint local authority and business-led organisations that “match economic reality on the ground and can make a real difference”.