How we work
Our Strategy
SEEDA works with businesses, public bodies and community organisations to drive sustainable prosperity for the South East. Our overarching aims and strategy are set out in the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) 2006-2016. SEEDA’s Corporate Plan 2008-2011 , along with the 2009 refresh of this Plan, set out SEEDA's contribution to delivering this strategy.
The Regional Economic Strategy promotes the following across the South East:
- Global Competitiveness,
- Smart growth, and
- Sustainable Prosperity.
The Corporate Plan 2008-2011 is our road map for delivery of these objectives by:
- Establishing the RES to become a working and flexible strategy
- Creating strong regional and sub-regional partnerships
- Nurturing innovative ways of working
- Identifying priorities and allocating resources needed
- Preparing for the forthcoming Single Regional Strategy.
Our Organisation
As with many organisations, SEEDA has been affected by the recession. We have a reduced budget and earlier this year made strategic decisions on where our efforts would be most effective. An element of this is the restructure SEEDA is currently going through to make it smaller, more focused, agile and responsive.
Our new focus is on helping businesses through the recession and readying them to take advantage of the upturn from a position of strength. We will bring together our close understanding of the region and local economies within it with strategic policy work to deliver high-level advice, expertise and leadership to promote economic development.
Key areas for the future will be business support programmes, strategic influencing and five smaller area teams focused on local economies. We will introduce a new focus on key South East economic sectors with innovation and high growth potential, having the additional benefit of maximising inward investment and international trade.
Our role is to provide strategic advice and expertise to promote economic development and investment. We will continue to focus on areas of the South East where we can have the greatest possible impact, including our eight Growth Diamonds and four priority regeneration areas in Ashford, Hastings and Bexhill, Dover and Margate.
Accountability
As a Non Departmental Public Body, SEEDA is accountable to Parliament. SEEDA is also held to account through hearings of the Regional Select Committee for the South East (launched in April 2009). We are governed by a set of organisational polices which can be accessed below.
Reporting Results
SEEDA reports annually on its activities and financial performance. SEEDA’s most recent Annual Report and Accounts are available here.
In addition, SEEDA's programmes and projects are evaluated. The evaluation reports are available in the publications section of the website as well as SEEDA's Independent Performance Assessment Improvement Plan.
The National Audit Office assessed SEEDA's performance in the IPA in 2006. SEEDA was deemed to be performing strongly.
