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<p>The department is delighted that across all areas of England, employer-led local
skills improvement plans (LSIPs) have already helped engage thousands of local businesses
and have brought them together with local providers and stakeholders, including the
Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA), to collaboratively
agree and deliver actions to address local skills’ needs. LSIPs were designed to support
local innovation and growth so that every part of the country can succeed in its own
unique way.</p><p> </p><p>The department has purposely given employers the leading
role in developing LSIPs, as they know their skills’ needs best. However, the department
recognises the importance of the MCAs and GLA being involved in LSIPs, given their
role as commissioners in their local areas and to support employer representative
bodies (ERBs) to consider skills priorities within the broader context of economic
growth and development. That is why the department placed a duty on the Secretary
of State for Education to be satisfied, in approving LSIPs, that the views of the
MCAs and the GLA had been considered in their development. The department also engaged
MCAs and the GLA in the development of the LSIP statutory guidance in 2022, which
clearly sets out the role they should play.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the positive
engagement that took place between MCAs and the designated ERBs during the development
of the plans and which is currently taking place as they are implemented. Indeed,
each ERB will provide a public annual progress report in June 2024 and 2025 setting
out progress made since publication of the plans.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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