LDA Leadership sets new direction

16 Jul 2008

The new head of the London Development Agency is reshaping the organisation to focus on three key areas of importance to Londoners - jobs creation, skills development and sustainable economic growth.

Interim Chief Executive Peter Rogers has set a clear direction as he drives forward improvement to restore public confidence in the Agency. Together with Interim Chairman Harvey McGrath, he has signalled his commitment to learning the lessons from ongoing reviews and investigations, including today's report by the Forensic Audit Panel, which endorses the extensive improvements already underway.

The LDA's improvement programme has already created a focus in the Agency to deliver clear outputs and outcomes, better project management and efficiency, clearer monitoring procedures and an increased emphasis on evaluation to ensure Londoners receive value for money. Stronger governance arrangements - particularly concerning investment, risk and evaluation - are now being proposed and will be put to the new LDA Board when it meets for the first time in September.

The Agency's new leaders are ensuring the organisation is one in which Londoners can be proud. Interim Chief Executive Peter Rogers said:

"The LDA is committed to delivering benefits to Londoners. We will adopt a more strategic role and our work will be focused in three key areas - the creation of jobs, improving the skills of people in the capital and putting measures in place to promote economic growth. We are fostering relationships with our partners in the boroughs, the private and voluntary sectors to help us achieve value for money and the best possible outcomes for communities."

The new LDA leadership is consulting with partners to clearly define the role of the organisation and set out its responsibilities.

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