Issue - meetings
Transition of Local Enterprise Partnership Responsibilities to Medway Council
Meeting: 16/01/2024 - Cabinet (Item 8)
8 Transition of Local Enterprise Partnership Responsibilities to Medway Council 
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Additional documents:
Minutes:
Background:
This report requested Cabinet to agree to transfer Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) functions, in partnership with Kent County Council (KCC), following the Government’s announcement in August 2023 that the functions of LEPs would be delivered by upper tier and combined local authorities in future.
The report explained that further LEP transition guidance had confirmed that Government expected LEP functions to be transferred to either a whole county level, or functional economic area with a minimum population of 500,000. Due to Medway’s population being under the threshold, the Council therefore needed to agree to take on LEP functions in partnership with Kent County Council (KCC). The South East LEP would cease in March 2024.
A joint Kent and Medway LEP Integration Plan had been submitted to Government and covered the five LEP workstreams that Medway and KCC had participated in: Governance and Capital Programmes; Partnerships and Networks; Data and Intelligence; Growth Hub and Business Support, and Resourcing.
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Decision number:
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Decision:
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6/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed the transfer of relevant South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) responsibilities to Medway Council from April 2024 including: business representation, strategic economic planning, and the delivery of government programmes (where directed). |
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7/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed the joint Kent and Medway LEP Integration Plan. |
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8/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision No. 6/2024. |
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9/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, and Chief Operating Officer, for the expenditure of LEP funds including but not limited to, Growing Places Fund, to be awarded by SELEP Accountability Board (joint Committee), in line with expectations for economic growth purposes, local business and local priorities, existing resourcing funding still to be determined by SELEP, and any future funding for LEP activities to be determined by Government. This would be added to the Employee Scheme of Delegations. |
Reasons:
The transition of LEP responsibilities to local authorities is mandated by Government. There has been no indication that Government will change this decision or propose an alternative. The Council must adhere to this to comply with Government decision making. This may have an implication on future funding programmes to be determined by Government.
The July SELEP Strategic Board agreed to work towards SELEP closure by March 2024 in line with Government expectations, swift decision making is required to meet this deadline.