Leading Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Capital
The London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP) is the local enterprise partnership for London. The LEAP brings entrepreneurs and business together with the Mayoralty and London Councils to identify strategic actions to support and lead economic growth and job creation in the capital.
Here you will find details on the operation of LEAP and its Board.
About Us
Quick links on this page:
Annual Report and Annual Accounts
Project Development, Appraisal and Prioritisation
Freedom of Information Requests
How LEAP Operates
LEAP is a non-incorporated consultative and advisory body established by the Mayor under sections 30 and 34 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. As a Mayoral appointed body with no separate independent or corporate legal status, LEAP operates through the GLA which acts as LEAP's “accountable body” when funding arrangements are entered into with the Government or European Commission.
The Mayor of London has a responsibility to publish an Economic Development Strategy. Therefore, unlike other local enterprise partnerships, London does not have a Strategic Economic Plan. More about London's Economic Development Strategy can be found on the Greater London Authority's website and LEAP will work closely with the Mayor as the Economic Development Strategy is reviewed and updated.
Constitution
The LEAP Constitution includes details of the Board's responsibilities, decision making processes and Terms of Reference.
Assurance Framework
In December 2014, HM Government requested that all local enterprise partnerships develop an 'Assurance Framework' to provide assurance that they have in place the necessary systems and processes to manage delegated funding from HM Government budgets effectively. As such, please see the LEAP Assurance Framework for details on our governance, decision making processes and how we ensure value for money.
Assurance Statement
Governance Assurance Statement
S127 Officer Compliance Letter
S127 Officer Assurance Statement
Code of Conduct
LEAP has a Code of Conduct based on the Nolan Principles and in compliance with the National Assurance Framework.
All LEAP Board Members commit and sign up to the LEAP Code of Conduct through their Terms of Appointment. Officers are made aware of the Code of Conduct and are committed to its principles.
LEAP Registers of Interests, gifts and hospitality, and expenses
Registers of interests: Each Member of the LEAP Board and its subordinate bodies must complete a register of interests form which is published to this website. LEAP Board Member registers of interests are published alongside biographies on the Member pages. Register of interest forms for the subordinate bodies members are published here .The LEAP Register of Interests policy is available here.
Register of gifts and hospitality: Members and officers are required to declare any gifts and hospitality worth £50 or over which they have received as a result of their membership of LEAP, or in connection with their role, from a person who is likely to be affected by a matter under consideration. Any declared gifts and hospitality are recorded in the register of gifts and hospitality. Our Register of interests policy is available here.
Register of expenses: Members and officers can claim expenses in line with the Greater London Authority’s Expenses and Benefits Framework. Any expenses claimed or incurred are recorded in the register of expenses.
Senior Officers
LEAP is supported by staff within the GLA’s existing structures.
Philip Graham, the GLA’s Executive Director - Good Growth, is the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for LEAP and represents LEAP at CEO/Director level. Philip’s LEAP Register of Interests can be found here.
David Gallie, the GLA’s Executive Director of Resources, acts as the Section 127 Officer and the GLA’s Chief Finance Officer. David's LEAP Register of Interests can be found here.
Eleanor Lloyd, a GLA member of staff, acts as Secretary to the Board, and programme and project support is provided from across relevant policy and delivery teams.
Commitment to diversity
London's diversity is its biggest asset and the Mayor of London strives to reflect London's diversity in all Board appointments to LEAP.
For more information on LEAP’s commitment to diversity, including how we look to ensure diverse representation at Board and sub group level which is reflective of our local business community, please see our Diversity Statement.
Annual Report and Annual Accounts
LEAP publishes an annual report of its accounts and activities, in line with the standards set out in the National Local Growth Assurance Framework for local enterprise partnerships.
LEAP's most annual report for 2020-21 is available here
Project Development, Appraisal and Prioritisation
The London LEP takes a proactive approach in developing, prioritising, appraising and approving projects, ensuring that a wide range of delivery partners can be involved. This usually includes openly advertising the funding opportunity, assessing applications, making the award through a formal agreement, monitoring progress for the lifetime of the project and maintaining a robust audit trail to demonstrate compliance.
Investment decisions not covered by openly advertised bidding rounds will be developed by officers and supported by a business case’ at a level of detail proportionate to the amount of investment proposed , approved in line with LEAP and GLA approval delegations and subsequently delivered in-house or awarded to a delivery partner in line with relevant procurement law. Funding may also be awarded by direct grant to a third party where the overall value is low, there are exceptional circumstances and/or the direct award of a grant represents best value.
All LEAP Investment Decisions will be underpinned by a full business case assessment (at a level of detail proportionate to the amount of investment proposed) prior to investment decision by the Mayor (or GLA officers as delegated).
Staff Remuneration
LEAP is not a legal entity and all its staff are employed by the Greater London Authority; LEAP's accountable body. Details of senior staff remuneration within the GLA can be found on its website.
Transparent Decision Making
We publish all agendas, reports and minutes of LEAP Board and Committee meetings except in those cases where information is considered to be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Agendas and reports are published five clear working days* before each meeting and minutes are published ten clear working days after the meeting.
Processes for handling information exempt from publication are set out in the Assurance Framework. Reports are released with the agenda except in those cases where the Secretary reasonably considers that information may be exempt from disclosure under an applicable exemption under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). These reports will be classed as ‘reserved from publication’.
The main exemptions that are likely to make information reserved relate to the following (although others may be available under the FOIA):
- commercial sensitivity
- information provided in confidence
- personal data
- legal professional privilege
- information intended for publication at a future date
- prejudice to the free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views
Parliament has put in place specific accountability arrangements for the Greater London Authority, LEAP's accountable body, namely; the Mayor is answerable to the London Assembly through Mayor’s Question Time only after he has taken decisions. Therefore Board and Committee meetings are not open to the public.
London Assembly Members play an active role in scrutinising the Mayor’s work, including LEAP. Our Board is accountable to Assembly Members through public meetings, and actions are addressed through formal letters.
LEAP funded programmes are also subject to the GLA’s Internal Audit regime.
*a 'clear working day' is a day that is not: the day the meeting is held, the day of publication, Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday or bank holiday.
Freedom of Information Requests
Click here to find our Freedom of Information and Environment Information requests policy.
Complaints and Comments
Officers working on LEAP delivery, strategy and governance are employed by its Accountable Body, the Greater London Authority (GLA). All Board Members are appointed by the Mayor of London. We hope you have no reason to raise concerns about LEAP but, if you do, any complaints or whistleblowing reports should be made in accordance with the relevant GLA policies.
Complaints about LEAP should be made via the GLA complaints procedures. The text should clearly state that the complaint is regarding LEAP and be marked for the attention of the Section 127 Officer and the LEAP Board Secretary, who are the two LEAP contacts responsible for dealing with complaints.
Detail on how to submit a confidential complaint is outlined in this guidance document. Any confidential complaint should be submitted via this secure form and addressed to the Section 127 Officer and the LEAP Board Secretary, who are the two LEAP contacts responsible for dealing with confidential complaints. The text must explicitly state that the complaint is confidential.
Whistleblowing Policy
All staff at the LEAP are employed by its Accountable Body, the Greater London Authority. All Board Members are appointed by the Mayor of London. The Greater London Authority has set out guidance on how staff and LEAP Board Members can raise concerns about malpractice in the workplace where they believe the public interest is not being served.
Working Level Arrangements
LEAP has produced a document outlining its Working Level Arrangements with its Accountable Body, the Greater London Authority. The document is intended to supplement LEAP's Local Assurance Framework.
Background
In October 2010, the Government invited the Mayor, London boroughs and business leaders to consider the case for whether and how local enterprise partnerships could be formed in London. In response, the Mayor, with London Councils, decided that there was a strong case for a single pan-London partnership to complement existing working arrangements between London business, the Mayor and the boroughs.
On 16 December 2010, the Mayor and London Councils submitted their proposal to Government for a local enterprise partnership for London with the support of leading business organisations. The proposal was for a partnership covering all of Greater London, reflecting the city-region scale and interconnected nature of London’s economy. The proposal described how the partnership would contribute to the delivery of the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy and be supported by strong local partnership arrangements, stretching outside London as appropriate. On 17 February 2011, the Government announced approval of the proposal and in February 2012 the Mayor of London formally established the London LEP. In December 2016, following his election, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launched the reformed London Enterprise Action Partnership (LEAP).