The new Strategic Board of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) is meeting on 17th April 2020 for the first time since the LEP registered as a company limited by guarantee on 28th February. The new Board will be considering how SELEP can further support businesses across the South East during this challenging time.
Options that the board will be discussing at the meeting – which will also be the first virtual meeting of the LEP – include crowdfunding for businesses. SELEP has also paused its current Growing Places Fund (GPF) process so the Strategic Board can consider how it best deploys the funding it has available when looking to act quickly to play its part in supporting the recovery and rebuild of the area’s economy.
Alongside potential financial interventions, SELEP understands that its role extends further and is using its influence to ensure that policymakers at local and national level understand the challenges and pressures facing local businesses. The LEP recently launched its Coronavirus Business Impact survey, which has so far garnered more than 500 responses from local businesses and provides a snapshot of the current situation being faced by businesses in the South East.
SELEP is also working to enhance its Growth Hub, the South East Business Hub, is iterating its South East Digital Skills Partnership and is considering other additional long-term initiatives that can be developed to best apply its resources to support the economy and the business community in the South East.
A thorough recruitment process has been undertaken for the new Directors of South East LEP Ltd to sit on the board with Chair Christian Brodie. Alongside the new Deputy Chair Sarah Dance, a number of new directors from the private sector have joined the board for the first time from a range of industries across the SELEP area, bringing invaluable knowledge and expertise into the growth agenda.
SELEP has also achieved a more inclusive directorship – ensuring a newly balanced Board which better represents the diversity of the local business base. The SELEP Strategic Board now has a male-to-female ratio of thirteen to seven, meaning it has achieved greater female representation than ever before. SELEP is working towards achieving a target of 50% female representation on its Strategic Board by 2023.
SELEP Chair Christian Brodie said:
“Despite the unusual and difficult circumstances, Sarah and I are looking forward to this meeting of the new board, which is a diverse representation of the public and private sectors across the South East, including some inspiring businesses that will bring fresh perspective.
“We are determined to carry on as consistently as possible to ensure that we as a LEP are doing all that we can for the business community in the South East. I know that it is a worrying time for many business owners, and their staff, which is why we will be discussing a number of initiatives and potential support packages at the meeting.
“We are also making sure to stay in touch with our community with daily business briefings, and I urge anyone who hasn’t already, to sign up for these updates. This is a time for us to work together, and I am confident that the new board have excellent routes into the wider business community and will be empowered to make informed, meaningful decisions that will seek a road to recovery post Covid-19 .”
The SELEP Strategic Board meeting will take place online on the 17th April. Details on how the public can observe the virtual meeting will be released in due course. The agenda for the meeting can be found here. To find out who the Board members are for your local area, click here.
To sign up to receive SELEP’s daily business briefing, as well as view previous editions, please click here.
The South East Business Hub is regularly updating its website with a list of resources for businesses in the South East. Click here to head to southeastbusiness.org.uk, where you will be prompted to go to your local Growth Hub site.