Making the South East
an even better place to
live, work and do business
Councils in partnership
South East Councils
South East Councils (SEC) is a cross-party membership association that works to ensure the South East England region is a great place to live, work and do business.
With most local authorities as members, we seek to provide a unified democratic voice on South East interests.
South East Councils is an associate member of the Local Government Association (LGA).
Our members
Most councils in the South East are active SEC members
Latest meetings
News
Tourism levy powers announced in Budget a ‘positive step’ for local fiscal reform, says SEC
SEC seeks clarity on local government debt and services in letter to new MHCLG Secretary of State
Give our region fair share of investment, says APPG South East in letter to Deputy PM
Give the South East fair recognition in Treasury decisions, says cross-party APPG
APPG South East shares report with Migration Minister
What we're talking about
APPG South East Chair @TanDhesi held the group’s AGM 2025 in Parliament with @emily4MK, @PeterKLamb, @PollyBLabour and @CliveJonesMP to discuss shared regional priorities, including the cost of living and improving local transport infrastructure.
The Budget’s new powers devolving to Mayors the choice of whether to introduce overnight visitor levies reflect our long-standing call for greater local control over tax and spend. Read more from SEC 👇
SEC has highlighted the need for clarity on local government debt and high quality public services throughout Council reorganisation in a letter to @mhclg's new Secretary of State @SteveReedMP.
As Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group for the South East, good to bring together MPs to reflect on key milestones, like our June report ‘The South East and Migration: How best to manage the #UK’s most populous region’, and chart with @SECouncils our priorities going forward.
APPG South East’s @Jim4Dartford @PDJSwallow met with Chair @TanDhesi to discuss key priorities for our region including support for local communities through affordable, high-quality housing and action on the cost of living.
South East APPG's migration inquiry heard that faster asylum decisions have not been matched with sufficient capacity in First and Upper-Tier immigration tribunals. Government should target this bottleneck to cut the legal backlog & its associated costs.
APPG South East's migration report calls for an independent evaluation of the four ongoing place-based asylum accommodation pilots. With a follow-up to the Migration White Paper expected this summer, proper assessment is key to informing further reform.
APPG SE heard that the absence of a coherant long-term plan for asylum, refugees & protection-based programmes has led to an expensive layered approach. Govt should consult on a 5-year strategy to protect the public purse & see more cohesive communities.
APPG South East has published its report on managing migration services in the UK’s most populous region, offering actionable cross-party insights to inform Government decision-making. Thanks to Chair @TanDhesi and all contributors to the inquiry.
https://www.secouncils.gov.uk/south-east-appg-publishes-inquiry-report-on-managing-migration-services
The South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM) provides a leadership, coordination and advisory function for migration in the South East. SESPM is hosted by South East England Councils, with all SESPM work funded by the Home Office.
The South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM) provides a leadership, coordination and advisory function for migration in the South East. SESPM is hosted by South East England Councils, with all SESPM work funded by the Home Office.