The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) has welcomed the findings of a Government review into the workings of LEPs nationwide.
Government review
Earlier this year, the Government announced it would look at the work of all of the 38 regional bodies, describing them as an essential part of its plan for driving local growth and the Industrial Strategy.
Key recommendations
Key recommendations of the review published include:
- Government is to set out the role and responsibilities of LEPs, focussing them on enhancing productivity.
- Government will publish a revised National Assurance Framework clearly defining what is required of each LEP to be compliant and to receive future core and growth funding.
- LEPs to publish local strategies setting out the long term vision for the area and annual delivery plans, reporting progress through end of year reports assessing their performance in allocating funding and delivering successful local projects.<
- Government will work with LEPs to improve the gender balance and representation on boards. SELEP will work towards the aspiration that women make up at least one third of LEP boards by 2020, with equal representation by 2023, and maintain a strong business voice at board level.
- LEPs will develop a clear evidence base and understanding of what is needed to drive investment and growth in their area and approaches to best address those needs.
- Government will ask LEP Chairs and other stakeholders to come forward with considered proposals by the end of September on geographies which best reflect real functional economic areas.
LEP review document
Commenting on the report, Christian Brodie, Chair of SELEP, said: “This is a clear statement from Government that LEPs are here to stay. The South East LEP has a strong track record in delivery and we are making a real difference through our current Local Growth Fund projects.”
Major investment secured by SELEP
A total of £570m of LGF funding has been secured by SELEP from Central Government through the three rounds of LGF to date, which was allocated through a six-year Growth Deal from 1st April 2015 to the 31st March 2021. So far, £561.6million has been allocated to 97 projects across the South East.
Christian added: “We go above and beyond to have strong accountability and transparency in our processes.
“This is reflected in the recent commitment at our last Strategic Board meeting for future sessions, which are already open to the public, to be filmed and made available for any partners or interested parties to view.”
Christian added that the LEP has also today (Monday) launched a new and improved website, giving the public greater insight into its role and decision making, and illustrating its commitment to open governance and transparency.
With regard to LEP geography, Christian said SELEP would work with its Strategic Board to lead on a response to Government in time for the September deadline.
He said: “Our Strategic Board is strongly of the opinion that our model of working gives us the ability to look at the bigger picture and influence economically transformative interventions such as the Lower Thames Crossing, while our federated model provides focus and expertise on a more local level.
“Our members believe SELEP is working better than ever for communities and businesses across the area.”
Adam Bryan, Managing Director of SELEP, said it was supportive of the review and the formalising of arrangements for the bodies, which vary significantly in their operations nationally.
He added: “We particularly welcome the recommendations for fairer and appropriate representation on LEP boards. We will continue to work with our partners locally to meet the requirement for 33% membership of female representatives, specifically at Strategic Board level, but also ensuring a strong business voice is effectively represented at all LEP levels.
“Since the Mary Ney review into LEP governance in 2017, SELEP has matured as a partnership and at its recent Board meeting partners were agreed that it is working better than ever for the economic growth agenda and ensuring investment into the South East.”
Christian Brodie added: “The business community is fully behind us. It will welcome these recommendations which can only make us, stronger, better representatives, where the business voice can truly influence the agenda, and champion the potential of the area.”
Today SELEP is launching its new website which demonstrates the partnership’s commitment to transparency; it will go further in helping the public and partners to find details of decisions made, governance activity and funding spend.
New SELEP website
The new website features content focussed on project delivery and a map engine aimed at highlighting over 170 projects SELEP is funding and delivering across the LEP area. It also features a new searchable meetings engine to help readers delve into the decision-making records.