The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is a public, private and education sector partnership. They are one of thirty-eight LEPs in the country and are responsible for promoting and developing economic growth in the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

In 2012, North East LEP commissioned Lord Andrew Adonis, together with a team of major influential figures, to recommend future pathways for the North East economy, focussing on growth and productivity.

The result was the North East Independent Economic Review, which provided them with a detailed, independent, evidence base of information that went on to inform all aspects of their Strategic Economic Plan- a document that acts as a blueprint for the activities that need to take place to improve our economy.