Mission Statement

In the Vision for South Essex published in 2001, partners stated: “Our overriding aim is to provide an improved quality of life for all the people in South Essex, and to allow the area to participate, via the Thames Gateway initiative, in the prosperity of the wider South East and East of England.”

This vision has matured over time and is now encapsulated in the ‘ten second sell’ and accompanying branding: “On London’s doorstep, playing a significant role in the UK’s economic powerhouse, Thames Gateway South Essex is vibrant, bursting with pride and alive with opportunities”. Partners agreed that South Essex is a ‘powerhouse’, producing energy, manufacturing goods, importing goods from abroad and distributing them across the UK. Second, South Essex is a ‘playground’, offering an attractive coast, distinctive estuarial wetlands, popular resorts, and exceptional countryside – all readily accessible to Londoners.