Decision details
South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Succession arrangements for Greater Essex and Southend
Decision Maker: Leader – Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Corporate Strategy
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
The South Essex Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Accountable Body Transitional Arrangements to ensure that following the closure of SELEP, the on-going accountabilities in respect of the Government funded capital programmes are re-aligned to reflect the new accountable body arrangements and to provide continuation of requirements to ensure project delivery. ?The Transition Agreement will allow for the transfer of the residual SELEP revenue and capital funding which will be released to each SELEP partner from ECC as the Accountable Body of SELEP. No funding will be released until the Transition Agreement is in place.
Decision:
1. That approval is given to engage with all parties necessary to agree a suitable Transition Agreement. Terms of the Transition Agreement to include: allowing the closure of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), outlining arrangements for on-going reporting in respect of the Government funded capital programmes which are re-aligned to reflect the new incoming Accountable Body arrangements, providing the continuation of requirements to ensure project delivery and transfer of the residual SELEP revenue and capital funding which will be released to each SELEP partner from ECC as the SELEP Accountable Body, releasing Essex County Council from its Accountable Body role of SELEP, and specifying governance arrangements for incoming Accountable Bodies for each functional economic area, incorporating the Integration Plans submitted to Government; and
2. That negotiation of the precise terms of the Transition Agreement, along with the authority to sign the final Transition Agreement, be delegated to the Executive Director of Finance and Resources.
Reasons for the decision:
The Strategic Board of SELEP has decided that it would work towards full integration of all LEP functions into alternative upper tier local authorities for each Functional Economic Area. This decision was taken in the context of Government confirming its removal of funding and sponsorship for LEPs in their current form and directing how LEPs should operate in future. It is therefore necessary for a Transition Agreement to be completed to allow the closure of the SELEP, the transfer of responsibilities for legacy SELEP projects to the upper tier authorities within which they are geographically located and the release of ECC from its Accountable Body role for SELEP
Alternative options considered:
In the context of the removal of Government funding and sponsorship for LEPs in their current form, the direction from Government on how LEPs should operate in future, the decision of the Strategic Board of SELEP to work towards the full integration of all LEP functions into alternative upper tier local authorities for Functional Economic Areas and the constrained resources within which local government is currently operating, it is not considered that there are any other realistic alternative options available to Southend.
Publication date: 21/01/2025
Date of decision: 13/01/2025
Accompanying Documents:
- Cabinet Member Decision Report - Transition Arrangements for SELEP 31.12.2024
PDF 90 KB
- Record of Individual Cabinet Member Decision - Selep Transitional Agreement - Jan 2025
PDF 71 KB
- Report of Executive Director (Environment & Place)
PDF 90 KB
- Record of Individual Cabinet Member Decision - Selep Transitional Agreement - Jan 2025
PDF 71 KB