THIS PAGE CONTAINS HISTORIC CONTENT
Development of the South East LEP Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy
Our Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy – Working Together for a Faster, Smarter and More Sustainable Economic Recovery – sets out how we will work with partners to support a path to recovery and renewal in the short to medium term.
It outlines the clear opportunities and needs of the SELEP area and the actions that we will take to drive the South East into new economic growth as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes new ways of working internationally following the EU Transition.
It has been informed by ongoing engagement with partners across the LEP, a robust evidence base and ongoing intelligence gathering to understand the recent economic impacts on our economy, and by the extensive work that continues to take place in our four Federated Areas to support localised recovery planning.
The strategy highlights four priority areas that have been identified as the unique driving forces behind the South East economy. These are:
- Business Resilience and Growth;
- UK’s Global Gateway;
- Communities for the Future; and
- Coastal Catalyst.
Further details on the evidence base and economic impacts can be found on our Economic Data and Intelligence pages.
Delivery of our strategy will also align with the priorities set out in Government’s economic strategy ‘Build Back Better: Our Plan for Growth’.
The Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy was agreed by the Board in March 2021 and builds on the work and delivery of our previous strategies.
- In 2014, the LEP produced its first Strategic Economic Plan, underpinning a growth deal worth almost £600 million in investment, which supports nearly 200 projects. The investment aims to deliver 78,000 jobs and 29,000 homes by 2021. In 2018, following the publication of the National Industrial Strategy in 2017, Government mandated that every LEP should produce a Local Industrial Strategy (LIS).
- The South East LEP continued its commitment to provide a refresh of the Strategic Economic Plan and in late 2018, we produced an Economic Strategy Statement – SmarterFasterTogether – which set out the path towards developing our Local Industrial Strategy (LIS).
- In line with Government requirements and the content of the National Industrial Strategy, the South East LEP produced a LIS evidence base in 2019 and a draft LIS was presented to the Strategic Board in January 2020. This work has since been incorporated into the Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy.