Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has announced the date of its annual general meeting

The meeting will be held on Friday September 18 at 2pm, via video conference.

It comes at the end of the LEP’s first full year trading as a company limited by guarantee, with the board also approving its statutory accounts for the year ended March 31 at the meeting.

Chair Lord Inglewood said: “This has been a period of significant change for CLEP as we have responded to the challenges Covid-19 has had on our economy and business community, with CLEP being at the forefront of leading response and recovery work for Cumbria through the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group.

“I believe that our partners have recognised the role that CLEP has played in developing Cumbria’s economic response to the pandemic through our work on supporting the development of mitigation measures; communicating the support available and assessing the economic impact on Cumbria. We would be delighted if people could join us at the AGM.”

The accounts for 2019/2020 received a clean audit report with no weaknesses identified in the accountancy and internal control systems.

People can book their place at the virtual meeting by going to: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3515961102102/WN_amBbuPErRdaSla54aI3ZWA

Nigel Wilkinson, CLEP board member and chair of the finance, audit and resources committee, said: “I was pleased to be able to present a clean audit report to the board, during our first full year of operations as a company limited by guarantee.

"CLEP is in a healthy financial position going forward, carrying forward revenue reserves of £378,849 and contingency reserves of £331,582 into the 2020/21 financial year.

"Over the coming 12 months we will be working hard to build on this positive platform and ensure that CLEP targets its funding to meet the needs of our economy and business community.

"In 2020/2021 the board has agreed to utilise some of the company’s revenue reserves to fund additional support activities as Cumbria faces the unprecedented economic challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.”