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.
In action: Surrey and Berkshire: Key activities
Innovation and Growth teams
SEEDA invested in two Innovation and Growth Teams (IGTs) covering Surrey in order to help 500 innovative companies to grow and become global. Areas covered include West Surrey / North East Hampshire (started in June 2009) and East Surrey / West Sussex (started in January 2010).
In addition SEEDA provided £2.7million funding to the Thames Valley IGT which started in June 2009. Covering Berkshire and Basingstoke it will assist 774 companies over its three year programme period.
Inward Investment
SEEDA has supported a number of inward investments and together Surrey and Berkshire secured 47% of the 219 foreign direct inward investments into the region in 2007-2008, and in 2008-2009 they secured 44% of the regions investments.
"Diamonds for Investment and Growth" - areas identified with greatest growth potential
In the Regional Economic Strategy 2006-2016 (RES) eight major concentrations for growth potential were identified as the "Diamonds" for Investment and Growth. These act as a catalyst to stimulate prosperity across wider areas with the potential for further sustainable growth through targeted investment in infrastructure. There were two such "Diamonds" in Surrey and Berkshire: Reading and Gatwick
Transport
Heathrow is undoubtedly a key driver of the sub regions economy, and has supported international business in the sub region and London. In Slough 3000, or 1 in 20, of the local workforce work at Heathrow and in Spelthorne there are over 5000, or 1 in 9, of the local workforce. 74% of the SE’s companies are in sectors which make intensive use of air travel. 70% of internationally based organisations locating into the UK do so within one hour of Heathrow.
SEEDA supported Staines Town Centre in making it a Regional Benchmark for sustainable, concentrated growth for the Region. Staines is strategic to the Western Heathrow Access and AirTrack projects with the potential development of the new railway station. SEEDA contributed £65,000 match funding to Spelthone Borough Council, for the study of the Staines Town Centre transportation infrastructure which will run for two years.
Economic Challenge Investment Fund Awards
The University of Surrey has been successful in two bids under the Government’s new Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF). One of these, which was match funded by SEEDA, sees over £1million in funding for an innovative collaborative project between Surrey and the University of Reading, addressing the skills and knowledge needs of the biopharmaceutical industry in the South East.
Guildford Job Club
SEEDA worked closely with the Surrey Economic Partnership, Guildford Borough Council (GBC), University of Surrey and JobcentrePlus to pilot the establishment of a Job Club in Guildford. SEEDA was successful in acquiring £10,000 from the Borough Council's Credit Crunch Fund to support the initiative.
British Science Festival
SEEDA supported the 2009 annual British Science Festival, held in Surrey, with £250,000 funding. The Science Festival, at which scientists and innovators meet non-scientists, creates a platform for interaction on science and innovation among people of different knowledge levels. It highlighted the South East and Surrey as a region of academic and business excellence in science and innovation.
To find out more, visit the Festival website.
Leadership Academy
The Leadership Academy is a partnership between the University of Surrey, the Open University Business School, Royal Holloway, the University of Greenwich and the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, London. The aim of the programme is to help unemployed managers and businesses that need to innovate (particularly small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary organisations) through the recession, by securing the skills they need to protect employment. This includes development and training for those in work to prevent redundancy and training and development for those newly unemployed to improve their chances of re-employment.
The University of Surrey and the Research and Enterprise Support Department successfully secured funding to continue the Leadership Academy through an ECIF grant from HEFCE. This represents a further development of the Leadership Academy funded by SEEDA over the past 3 years.
Related case studies
Emerging Technologies Collaborative R&D Projects: Nanotechnology
Woking Events benefits from Business Link advice
Influencing Foreign Direct Investment
Related news
Gatwick Skills Centre cleared for take off
Slough as a great place for business, Timesonline, 21 February 2009
