The South East Plan provides a framework for the region’s development for the next 20 years, to 2026. It compliments other regional strategies, such as those for economic development and public housing investment and, by including an Implementation Plan, has a strong focus on delivery.
The Regional Transport Strategy for the South East aims to achieve a transport system, which progressively reaches the standards of the best in North West Europe. The strategy promotes management and investment in the transport system and making the best use of existing capacity. It aims to rebalance the structure and use of the transport system in favour of more sustainable modes of transport. There is a strong link between the Regional Transport Strategy and the South East Plan.
The Regional Economic Strategy for South East England (RES) covers the period 2006 - 2016 and is prepared by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The Strategy provides the foundation for all economic development and regeneration in the region. Its vision is that by 2016 the South East will be a world class region achieving sustainable prosperity. The European Dimension comes under the area of Global Competitiveness and focuses on three specific areas: to work with European member states and similar regions to improve our global competitiveness, to access European funding and programmes available to member states, and to influence the climate of regulation and legislation.
The Social Enterprise Strategy aims to provide 'an enabling framework for social enterprise in the South East'. The term 'social enterprise' covers a wide range of organisational types that share three common characteristics: enterprise orientation, social aims and social ownership. The Enabling Framework proposed a long term vision for social enterprise in the South East: “to create a region where social enterprise can grow and thrive and play its full part in contributing to the sustainable development of the South East”.
The Integrated Regional Framework 2004 aims to establish a shared regional vision and set of objectives, which organisations can use to achieve economic development that benefits people and protects and improves the environment – this is often called sustainable development. It updates the Regional Sustainable Development Framework published in June 2001.
The South East Region Social Inclusion Statement sets out the region’s commitment to tackling social exclusion and maps the contribution each regional partner is able to make (often through joint action). The objective is to inform the action plans of regional partners and identify priorities for action over the next 12 to 18 months on key issues such as crime reduction, education, health, enterprise, housing, transport and other quality of life issues. There is also encouragement for regional partners to consider the needs of groups vulnerable to exclusion.
The South East Regional Housing Strategy has a long term approach and identifies priorities that will ensure the best possible use of housing investment for the region. Its aim is to ensure that all people who choose to live in this region – irrespective of their income – have access to high quality housing located in vibrant, sustainable communities.
Move IT – A Framework for Action on Physical Activity in the South East provides a rationale to be used by agencies to work together to ensure a co-ordinated approach to increasing physical activity across the South East, with clear targets and timescales. It also sets out key actions for stakeholders across the region.
Eating for Health: The South East Food and Health Action Plan provides a framework for the direction of food related health work in the region. The strategy provides information on national, regional and local policies. It sets out objectives and actions to bring about change in the habits of consumers and in the access and availability of healthier food.
A Framework for action on tobacco control in the South East provides a framework and action plans for key stakeholders to work together to address the Department of Health’s Six Strand Action Plan (national policy) regionally and locally.
The Strategy to Reduce Re-offending in the South East brings together a wide range of partners to develop a joint approach to reducing re-offending. The strategy’s vision is: “To reduce re-offending in the South East, helping to create safer, stronger and more inclusive communities.”
The Cultural Cornerstone asserts that cultural activity is the cornerstone on which the quality of life in the region is built, and it maintains that the South East is the lynchpin for cultural development in England and the United Kingdom. The strategy embraces the arts, creative industries, sport and recreation, libraries, museums, galleries and archives, tourism, film and media, historic features, parks, gardens, countryside and landscapes.
Tourism ExSEllence – Strategy for Tourism in the South East highlights the importance of tourism to the region; sets out a shared vision for tourism and its potential; identifies priorities and actions needed by all stakeholders and provides a framework for the work of SEEDA, Tourism South East and other agencies.
Water Resources for the Future looks 25 years ahead, considering the needs for water, both for the environment and for society. The South East vision is for “Abstraction of water that is environmentally and economically sustainable, providing the right amount of water for people, agriculture, commerce and industry, and an improved water-related environment”.
The South East Forestry and Woodland Framework sets out a vision for the future of woodlands and forestry in the South East: we want our woods to make an increasing contribution to the sustainable development of the region, in both rural and urban areas. The framework describes a series of 10 outcomes where woodlands and forestry can make a real contribution to sustainable development in the region.
Action for Biodiversity in South East England provides an overview of regional biodiversity priorities for the South East. It sets the objectives and targets to achieve sustainable biodiversity; seeks to engage and develop joint working; provides a regional context for local biodiversity conservation planning and provides the full detail of the biodiversity indicators, targets and opportunities for delivery.
Farming and Food: Our Healthy Future is part of the Government’s Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food. It comprises a
series of actions to put farming and the food industries in the region on a more sustainable footing – economically, socially and environmentally.
The England Rural Development Programme 2000-2006 Appendix A7 South East Region presents the part of the England Rural Development Programme relating to the South East and addresses a broad range of concerns pertaining to rural areas and issues. The aim is to provide a basis from which partners and others can shape local, regional, national and European programmes so that efforts are complementary, in order to contribute to a shared rural vision for the South East.
The South East Rural Delivery Framework 2006-2009 was developed by the Rural Partnership. It seeks to help improve co-ordination of existing work, and begins to set the structure for more co-ordinated joint action and targeting of national and regional programmes and policies in the future.
The European Strategy for the South East England 2001-2006 is based on the regional strategies that had been developed at the time – particularly the Regional Economic Strategy. The strategy is aimed at identifying and promoting the region’s interests in respect to European policies and programmes, and to maximise the social and economic opportunities that Europe has to offer.
