A leading politician has accused Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership of failing to focus on renewable energy in its new governance structure.

Councillor Graham Vincent, portfolio holder for economy at South Lakeland District Council, told in-Cumbria that it was “strange” renewable energy is not among the new sector panels unveiled by the strategic economic body at the beginning of the year.

Cumbria LEP is creating nine sector panels which cover key Cumbrian business sectors – advanced manufacturing, construction, the creative and cultural sector, health and social care, logistics, nuclear, professional services, rural, and the visitor economy.

Its chief executive, Jo Lappin, refuted claims renewable energy was not a priority, stressing that the sector would be on the agenda of relevant panels already in place.

However, Coun Vincent branded the panels “silos” and the approach as a “bigger version of the system that has served the county so badly since the Local Enterprise Partnership was formed”.

“The most concerning aspect of this structure is that there is no provision for the evaluation of renewable energy projects,” he said.

“That’s very strange for a county that has the biggest wind farm in the world (Walney Extension) and a large wind farm on the Solway Coast (Robin Rigg), both delivering safe green renewable energy.

“Currently Barrow houses the biggest battery storage facility in the country. Cumbria has two estuaries both capable of significant energy production, and at least one could provide a highway to north Lancashire (the Northern Tidal Power Gateway) and offer some significant protection to vulnerable coastal communities against inevitable rising sea levels.

“These are schemes that are the future and further development will be an essential part of that future.”

Coun Vincent highlighted the national significance of renewable energy, highlighting an Infrastructure Advisory Panel’s recommendation that the Government ups the contribution from renewable to 50 per cent to help meet the country’s energy needs.

He has previously called for Cumbria LEP to throw its weight behind the £8 billion Northern Tidal Power Gateway scheme – which would see a power generating turbines and a transport link cross Morecambe Bay from Barrow to the north Lancashire coast and bring with its long-term renewable energy, jobs and economic growth.

The project has the potential to 6,500GWh of electricity a year – enough to power around 1.5 million homes – and create 7,500 construction jobs, according to its backers.

And he has claimed that Cumbria’s ‘energy coast’ has moved south, given the growing volume of energy projects clustered around the Morecambe Bay region and in light of the demise of NuGen’s plans for a new nuclear power station at Moorside and the end of reprocessing at Sellafield.

Coun Vincent has also called for Cumbria LEP, and the county as a whole, to break its focus on nuclear and avoid trying to “re-invent a past dream” by targeting its financial muscle in area’s with greater chance of delivering economic success.

He added: “The latest Office of National Statistics show that in the year 2016-2017, only two districts increased their Gross Value Added – South Lakeland by £21 million and Barrow by an impressive £156 million. All other districts declined.

“These statistics are a demonstration that the Cumbrian economy has been far from vibrant and previous precious investment has not delivered good enough results.”

Mrs Lappin stressed renewable energy would be on the agenda of relevant sector panels, such as the advanced manufacturing, construction, logistics and nuclear.

It would also be a “major theme” for the LEP’s Innovation Strategy Group; one of five strategy groups – the others being Business Strategy, People, Employment and Skills, Places and Transport and Infrastructure – created to reflect priorities in the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

On the sector panels, she said: "They will definitely not work in silos and there will be significant connectivity and interaction between each, especially where there are identified common goals. 

"We recognise the county’s renewable energy sector as a whole is flourishing and has the potential for further growth. Cumbria’s energy sector is being prioritised within the Local Industrial Strategy, covering our significant capability in offshore wind, oil and gas and nuclear and our potential for the development of a tidal energy initiative.

“Working with the Carbon Trust, Cumbria LEP has also developed an Energy Plan for the county, looking at low carbon, green or renewable energy projects, which will contribute to more sustainable economic growth. This is to be formally launched in February."