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Growth Service evaluation

Client:

Leeds City Region LEP

Study objectives:

• Analyse the Growth Hub's performance on contractual targets in 2019/20;
• Engage with businesses to understand how they engaged with Growth Hub and the benefits they have gained; and,
• Identify businesses immediate support needs following the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown.

Patrick Robertson - Service Manager, Business Support

'Thrive Economics undertook an in-depth review of the service involving detailed survey work and stakeholder interviews. Their report is excellent and has provided really useful recommendations for future delivery.'

We reviewed the strategic, policy and economic context throughout 2019/20 highlighting major events which affected the LEP's ability to achieve their aims and targets for Growth Hub performance.
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We designed a concise survey to gather feedback from businesses on each aspect of support offered by the Growth Hub, and to identify their immediate needs. The survey was completed by 175 businesses - the highest number for any of the previous 5 annual evaluations.

We found that overall satisfaction was high with 81% of businesses stating that they would refer a friend to the service. We found that 91% of businesses stated that the Growth Manager they dealt with had a good, or very good understanding of their business.

We held one-to-one interviews with stakeholders and a key theme that emerged was the complexity of the business support landscape. We recommended that the LEP begin to plan for a new landscape with the imminent end of European funding for business support.
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Our analysis shows the three most commonly identified benefits businesses gained were: increased survival; safeguarded jobs; and, increased resilience. We identified short and medium term support needs following the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown.

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