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Almost two-thirds of businesses in Chesterfield, Bassetlaw and North East Derbyshire are in favour of the formation of a new Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) covering Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, a survey has found.

A business consultation by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce also found that some 70% of firms felt that their needs would be marginalised if their local authorities signed up to a LEP for South Yorkshire.

Local Enterprise Partnerships are the brainchild of Business Secretary Vince Cable and Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles, and will be created to carry out some of the economic development functions that will be left behind when the regional development agencies are scrapped in 2012.

Chesterfield and Derbyshire are currently served by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the four upper-tier local authorities in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have signed a formal agreement to create a LEP covering both counties to fill the void which will be left by emda's demise.

However, there is a view amongst local authorities on the northern fringes of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, where districts and boroughs such as Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bassetlaw feel that their interests may be better served by a LEP covering the South Yorkshire area. 

But almost 60% of local businesses surveyed are concerned that fragmenting Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire would make it harder for a LEP to deliver its objectives.

Richard Wilkins, President of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber, said: "The Chamber's highest priority is to help build a powerful entity that can maximise the benefit for businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and develop a dynamic economy.

"With this in mind, there is a clear need to put any political or geographical differences aside and work together to create a single LEP that covers both counties that is capable of competing on a national scale. 

"There is a danger that some of the fringe districts on the border with other areas may want to hedge their bets by leaning towards a LEP outside of the county boundaries.  However, in view of the fact that resource and funding will be extremely scarce, there is a danger that by doing that their interests will get over-looked completely.

"The majority of businesses that the Chamber has surveyed recognise this and it's vitally important that the political decision-makers also take account of this bigger picture as well."