South East England Development Agency is Closing on March 31, 2012

The Government has announced that all Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including SEEDA, will close by 31 March 2012.

Responsibility for economic development and regeneration in England is being passed onto successor bodies, including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and central Government departments

Our objective is to ensure a professional and cost effective closure by this date.  We have pledged to work closely with our partners, contractors and stakeholders to ensure that the past and future economic benefits of key programmes and assets continue to deliver the greatest economic value for the South East and value for money for the taxpayer. 

Please click here for more details about our closure plan, transition arrangements and successor organisations.

engineering
MAS South East
Home »  what we do »  policy and strategy

What we do: Policy & strategy

Regional Economic Strategy

Since its formation in 1999, SEEDA was responsible for leading the development and implementation of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) 2006-2016 for the South East of England. The RES set three objectives - global competitiveness, smart growth and sustainable prosperity.

Click here to find out more about the RES.

Towards a Single Regional Strategy

SEEDA worked jointly with local authorities in the region to develop the long term strategy for the South East. This was the Single Regional Strategy, integrating economic development, housing, transport and the environment to succeed the current Regional Economic Strategy and the South East Plan.

Inter-regional working

SEEDA worked with neighbouring RDAs in the South East - the London Development Agency and East of England Development Agency - on the strategy for the Greater South East. Projects include Thames Gateway.

Corporate Plan Refresh 2008-11

SEEDA’s vision was to be the best economic development agency that a world class region could have: providing expert interventions, expert deal-making and expert advice. We aimed to help create the best possible environment for business within a healthy and prosperous economy. Our refreshed Corporate Plan set out how we intended to do that, identifying the keys to future success as the economy emerges from recession and achieving the three RES goals.

Corporate Plan 2008-2011 Refresh

Recent policy changes to tackle recession

The global recession had a major impact on our existing policies and we produced the Corporate Plan Refresh in response. The refreshed plan responds to the challenges we face as well as those of our partners.

We also reviewed our strategic approach to business support, creating a plan to support the South East with Innovation and Growth Teams and Sector and Cluster support,  working alongside the national Solutions for Business approach being delivered by Business Link.

National Policy

SEEDA also worked with Government to help influence and form national policy. By working with Government departments, SEEDA provided expert regional intelligence to help steer policy. SEEDA had the RDA remit to lead on skills, innovation and work and pensions and worked at a national level to shape and influence policy.

Policy Debate for the EU in 2020

SEEDA along with key partners such as Southern England Local Partners and Kent County Council fed into the policy debate in Europe. The South East response to President Barroso’s 2020 vision for the European Union, highlights the region's view on the need of a smarter, greener economy where prosperity results from innovation and smarter use of knowledge and resources. The South East's response aims to influence how the EU tackles the challenges of the economic recovery at a local, regional, national and European level.