South East to get £30 million towards Environmental Projects

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has secured £15 million from Europe to be used across the whole of the South East to promote competitiveness while contributing to the reduction of the region's ecological footprint.

As a result of SEEDA's efficiency, the funding, which comes from the European Commission via its European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme, is the first to be awarded to a Regional Development Agency (RDA) nationally. SEEDA will be match-funding the European contribution, making the programme worth a total of more than £30 million between 2007 and 2013.

Beneficiaries of the funding will include local authorities and organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, who are being encouraged to apply via expressions of interest for a share of the money. SEEDA is hoping to begin approving projects from applicants which will stimulate innovation for a sustainable economy, promote resource-efficient business practices and encourage sustainable consumption practices in March 2008.

The responsibility of the management of the regional ERDF programmes has recently been devolved to RDAs from the Regional Government Offices. SEEDA has embraced this move and worked hard to drive the new programme forward.

The Agency will be awarding funding to providers which successfully complete a full assessment and appraisal procedure to ensure that they meet the aims and objectives of the programme. In turn, SEEDA will be monitored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the European Commission in order to ensure that specific economic activity targets are being delivered.