Local Industrial Strategy

We work in collaboration with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and partner Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP's) to develop and deliver the West Midlands Local Industrial Strategy (WM LIS). Published in May 2019, the WM LIS was the first ‘trailblazer’ region to agree a Local Industrial Strategy, a key enabler to deliver the government’s national Industrial Strategy. We are now working to deliver the LIS priorities to ensure tangible benefits reach Black Country businesses and communities as we recover from Covid-19.

The full West Midlands Local Industrial Strategy and supplementary reports can be found by clicking here.

The Black Country LEP and its partners have been integral to the development and ongoing implementation of the WM LIS:

The Black Country Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) led the production of a robust and comprehensive evidence base to inform the WM LIS: this primarily consisted of a Foundations of Productivity Evidence Base and a Sector Evidence base (click here for Sector Evidence Base Executive Summary).
We are leading the development and delivery of 5 regional Sector Action Plans that aim to realise LIS priorities on the ground. Our sector plans, detailed below, are being led by the demands of local industry by working with trade bodies and businesses themselves.

- Aerospace sector action plan

- Construction sector action plan

- Health & Care sector action plan (in development)

- Metals & Materials sector action plan

- Rail sector action plan

We continue to work closely with the WMCA and other LEPs to inform all other sector plans and the implementation of the overall LIS.

If you would like more information about the Black Country's role in the WM LIS, get in touch

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