ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the emergence of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) during the early 1990s as facilitators of local economic development, and how this was approached through the creation of local networks. Facilitating involved encouraging other institutions, from both the private and public sector, to participate and undertake activities, thus producing a multiplier effect. Peck argued that TECs were far from being institutions born of their local communities, and faced major difficulties in becoming integrated into the local economy and society. It should be recognised that the problems TECs faced during their early years was exacerbated by the effects and after-effects of a period of economic recession. Whether or not the result of the perceived success or failure of TECs, the Conservative Government introduced a system of more than 200 local business support networks, known as Business Links.
