Ministers have 'no plans' to reduce the number of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has confirmed. Former communities secretary Eric Pickles had suggested before the election that their number should fall this Parliament but a DCLG spokesman told The MJ the Government would not 'impose reductions in these locally-defined and voluntary partnerships'. Local government minister Marcus Jones said LEPs had 'already encouraged collaborations between councils', adding: 'This journey has only just begun.' LEPs have been heavily criticised by some over their lack of transparency and accountability.
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