The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) will preserve its legacy – and continue to provide services – as work begins on the transition of core functions. Directors have tasked new Chief Executive, Phoebe Dawson, to collaborate with partners on identifying which LLEP functions will be required in future. Work will then commence to transition those functions into alternative accountable bodies. It comes after the Government indicated that central funding for local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) nationwide will be withdrawn at the end of March 2024. The Chancellor described during the Spring Budget his intention for LEP services to be delivered by local government from as early as April 2024. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities subsequently wrote to LEPs to confirm the decision and establish the scope of each LEP’s existing work and relationships. LLEP directors met soon after the Chancellor’s announcement to begin forming a plan for meeting the Government’s deadline. Their outline for working with core stakeholders on the transfer of powers was then ratified at a LLEP Board meeting on 13 June. The LLEP Board agreed to form a transition group, chaired by Phoebe, to work with key partners on transferring LLEP functions while building on gains made over the years. Andy Reed OBE, co-chair of the LLEP, said: “Phoebe has been a valuable recent addition to the LLEP team and will focus on finding ways to further progress the many good things the LLEP has delivered over the years. “The announcement during the Spring Budget was not unexpected and we had been talking with stakeholders for more than a year. What is important now is that we build on that collaboration with more formal talks to agree our approach ahead of the Government funding deadline in nine months’ time.” Anil Majithia, co-chair of the LLEP, said: “It’s really important that we maintain our service delivery as the cost of doing business continues to challenge so many. LLEP officers will ensure smooth transition as our teams continue helping local businesses towards increased productivity, investment-readiness, and growth.” Phoebe started as Chief Executive in May and has since been meeting staff members, delivery partners, and other stakeholders to discuss the local approach. She said: “Government has put a timeline in place and therefore transition planning must commence promptly. Not only will this preserve our legacy, and provide the best outcomes for all of our stakeholders, it will also give greater clarity to our team members in relation to their own futures.” Plans are being made to maintain core functions through to March. Funding has also been agreed to provide Careers Hub support through to August 2024 – the end of the next academic year. “Team members are naturally concerned about the uncertainty around their own functions,” Phoebe added. “The Board has ratified transition, and we will provide that transition with an updated Delivery Plan setting new objectives for each of the team. “This will maximise the value of functions within our existing portfolio, while also positioning us to continue seizing upon opportunities as we move towards March 2024.” The Delivery Plan will be presented to the LLEP Board at its meeting in August.

Geldards has advised Derbyshire-based Arctic Cabins on its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). A family-run business established over twenty years ago by owner Gareth Parkinson and his Finnish wife Virpi, Arctic Cabins takes inspiration from the Scandinavian lifestyle which places sturdy wooden shelters, often with a central BBQ, in communities and national parks as refuges to be used by the community. The trend for homeworking since the pandemic, coupled with a gardening boom, has seen the demand for practical home office solutions and additional living space skyrocket, and Arctic Cabins have experienced a huge surge in demand for their versatile wooden cabins as a result. Manufactured in Derbyshire, the company relies on its skilled carpenters and craftspeople to produce a high quality range of cabins and BBQ huts and its product range has grown over the years, to include the Cabin Master brand which offers bespoke insulated garden rooms which are hand crafted to customers’ exact specifications. Protecting the hard-won business legacy built up by a dedicated workforce over the decades, was a primary consideration for Gareth when planning for his exit from the business. Keen to secure the future of the business, protect staff jobs and retain highly skilled employees, a transition to an Employee Ownership Trust was the right solution for Arctic Cabins. An Employee Ownership Trust hands ownership of the business to employees, rather than a sale on the open market, and trustees are appointed to ‘look after’ shares in the business on behalf of the employees. The rise in popularity of Employee Ownership Trusts has grown enormously over the past two years, with business owners becoming alive to the benefits that EOTS can offer. They prove to be an effective model to realise a succession plan for business owners, which puts employees at the heart of the decision. Geldards advised Arctic Cabins on the formation of an Employee Ownership Trust and the purchase by the EOT of the entire share capital. Andrew Evans, partner at Geldards, said: “It was great to be instructed by Gareth and the team at Arctic Cabins as long time clients of the firm, and take them through the challenges of a transition to employee ownership. The positive feedback from the initial presentation to all the staff and the enthusiasm of the employee trustees emphasised the suitability of Arctic Cabins for employee ownership. I look forward to continuing to work with Arctic Cabins in the future.”