The Government has announced that all Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including SEEDA, will close by 31 March 2012.
Responsibility for economic development and regeneration in England is being passed onto successor bodies, including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and central Government departments
Our objective is to ensure a professional and cost effective closure by this date. We have pledged to work closely with our partners, contractors and stakeholders to ensure that the past and future economic benefits of key programmes and assets continue to deliver the greatest economic value for the South East and value for money for the taxpayer.
Please click here for more details about our closure plan, transition arrangements and successor organisations.
Richard Ascough
Richard spent his early career working at British Airways, whilst there he joined APEX the white collar Trade Union in 1971. He was on the first executive of the newly formed British Airways Trade Union Council.
Richard left BA at the end of 1978 and became Area Organiser with APEX at the beginning of 1979. For the next decade he had responsibility for Civil Air Transport. When APEX amalgamated with GMB, Britain’s General Union in 1989 Richard became an Organiser in the Southern Region.
Richard became a Senior Organiser in 1995 and subsequently became Legal Officer too. He became Regional Secretary of the GMB Southern Region in September 2004. He is also a part of the Senior Management Team of the Union. Richard has an MA in Employment Relations and Law and is the Treasurer of the Industrial Law Society.
Richard is married with two grown up children and one grandchild and lives in Thames Ditton. His main interests are History and Music. He is a Composer with a number of public performances to his name.
