Essex Lib Dems question ECC over match-funding for development projects

At a recent meeting at Brentwood Borough Council it was stated that Local Enterprise Partnership (SE LEP) monies are match funded by Essex County Council.

This was queried by Brentwood Lib Dem Councillor Barry Aspinell.

Cllr Aspinell asked the Cabinet Member for Finance, Commercial and Traded Services for clarity regarding the process of applying for the match-funded money. Cllr Aspinell also asked about the level of match-funding that the council would be committed to.

Reply from the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure

'Essex County Council (ECC) has worked with district, borough, city partners, Essex FE colleges and the SELEP over many years to secure considerable sums for investment in economic growth projects across the county. Through this endeavour ECC and partners have secured over £104m of SELEP's Local Growth Fund to be spent across 25 skills, highways and economic development projects in AN11 Essex.

ECC has committed circa £67m of its own capital to support the delivery of these projects. Decisions on what proportion of total project costs have been met by ECC have been taken on a business case by case basis, as per the needs of each individual project.

The specific process for seeking funding is set out on the SELEP website here: https://www.southeastlep.com/about_us/how-we-award-funding/.'