Memorandum submitted by the London Development
Agency
INTRODUCTION
The London Development Agency (LDA) is one of
five organisations that have become known as the "GLA Group".
While the Agency has much in common with the
eight regional development agencies outside London, there are
also significant differences. In addition to London's unique devolved
governance arrangements, the democratic accountability provided
through the Mayor of London and the unique nature of London's
economy, there are unique institutional arrangements for the delivery
of some wider aspects of economic development, specifically housing,
skills and transport. These significant differences play out in
the day to day work of the Agency but they also influence the
decisions that Government takes on national policies, which frequently
play out differently in London as has been the case with the review
of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration.
The mission of the LDA is to deliver the Mayor's
priorities for London's economic development and the jobs, skills
and growth that London needs in line with the Economic Development
Strategy for London (EDS), which provides the blue-print for the
Agency's work and is intended to provide a focus for all of our
delivery partners.
The EDS is one of twelve strategies that the
Mayor must produce by law, and the LDA has delegated responsibility
to produce it.
(www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/economic_development/sustaining_success.jsp).
The LDA also contributes to the delivery of
the Mayor's other strategies. (the other statutory strategies
are: Climate change adaptation, Climate change mitigation &
energy, Culture, Health inequalities, Housing, London Plan (Spatial
development strategy), Municipal waste management strategy, Transport
strategy, Biodiversity, Air quality and Ambient noise).
LONDON'S
ECONOMY AND
THE ROLE
OF THE
LDA
Information on London's economy and progress
towards the objectives set out in the EDS is published regularly,
most recently in July 2008
(http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1203).
Guided by our understanding of London's economic
strengths and challenges, and working with our partners in the
private, public and third sector, the LDA's focus is on sustaining
and improving London's role as a centre for business, while increasing
economic opportunity for all Londoners by:
— Creating the conditions London needs
to facilitate business growth, productivity and employment (jobs).
— Ensuring all Londoners are able to
access this employment by working with business to tackle barriers
to employment and progression (skills).
— Driving London's growth and development
while supporting a switch to a low carbon London (growth).
The LDA is also the lead agency for the delivery
of the Olympic Legacy; and we have devolved responsibility for
managing London's European Regional Development Fund and European
Social Fund programmes for 2007-13.
Details of our approach and the targets the
Mayor has set for us are set out in our annual corporate plan.
For 2009-2010 onwards, we are currently developing an approach
based on identifying shared objectives and working collaboratively
with our partners to meet them, building on the Mayor's consensus
approach, to maximise the impact of our joint investments. Overall
thematic and spatial outcomes will dictate appropriate processes
and structures for delivery. There will therefore be less emphasis
on activity and output targets and the machinery that goes with
them. This will be replaced by a commissioning model based on
outcomes.
The following appendices provide information
on specific issues raised by the Committee.
— Appendix 1—LDA Performance
& Evaluation; and Audit Arrangements
— Appendix 2—LDA capacity to
deliver and our evolving new organisational structure
— Appendix 3—LDA investment in
overseas offices
— Appendix 4—LDA's Role with
respect to EU funding
— Appendix 5—Summary of the Mayor
of London's response to the Review of Sub-national Economic Development
& Regeneration
| 
