Issue - meetings

South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Strategic Board Structure

Meeting: 19/11/2019 - Cabinet (Item 10)

10 South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Future Board Structure pdf icon PDF 815 KB

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report provided details of the Government’s reforms to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and the necessary steps required to be taken by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) to comply with the changes.

 

The report provided details of the outcome of the Government’s review of the LEPs and included details of the required changes to them, as set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report. This included the requirement that LEPs must become companies to allow them to enter into legal commitments to take on further responsibilities in the future, as well as a number of other requirements.

 

The report also provided details of the progress made by SELEP on the required changes, noting that a further report would be submitted to Cabinet on 14 January 2020 on this matter.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

134/2019

The Cabinet agreed to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to, and involvement in, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) and give its support in principle for the proposals for new governance arrangements, including:

 

·         the establishment of a new legal personality;

 

·         the refresh of the Joint Committee agreement; and

 

·         the nomination of a Cabinet representative as Company Director

135/2019

The Cabinet agreed that the related suite of governance documentation should be submitted to Cabinet for full consideration and approval in due course.

 

Reasons:

 

The alternative option (departing from SELEP) would jeopardise future funding for Medway, and significantly limit Medway Council’s ability to prioritise its strategic aims within regional and national agendas.