We have a governance structure that ensures our investment decisions are transparent and accountable.

Our Board and Panels

Hertfordshire Futures Board: our business-led Board is responsible for setting the overall strategic vision and priorities for economic development in the county. Our Board members are unremunerated and give their time voluntarily. Meet our Board.

Assessment Panel: The Assessment Panel is tasked with assessing bids for new projects. It was established following a government review into the governance and transparency of (former) LEPs, led by Mary Ney. The Assessment Panel comprises HF Deputy Chair, other approved members of the Board and Chairs of HF sub-Boards, HF Executive Director and S151 Officer, who is responsible for assuring that we strictly adhere to the guidance for (former) LEPs set out in the National Assurance Framework. Explore our projects.

Performance Management Panel: Oversees spending across the three priority areas covered by our Programme Boards and assesses the provision of value for money. It also ensures that proper processes and procedures are in place and are used to secure delivery of government funding.

Programme Boards: The Programme Boards support our priority areas. They comprise of the Skills & Employment Board, and the Sectors and Investment Board. View our Programme Boards.


Register of Interests

In line with our Code of Conduct, all Board members and senior staff who act in an advisory capacity to Hertfordshire Futures Board and sub-Boards are required to declare their interests. View Register of Interests.


Governance structure

As at November 2024
As at November 2024

Our governance principles

In our drive to increase local economic growth and private sector investment, we have a responsibility to be open and transparent about how public funds are spent.

Prior to the LEPs being disbanded, the Government ensured each LEP adhered to a National Assurance Framework – this ensured LEPs had robust systems and processes in place to effectively manage funding from central Government budgets. Hertfordshire Futures continues to follow this important framework, which stipulates specific rules across four key areas:

  • Governance decision making
  • Transparent decision making; including a Conflicts of Interests policy
  • Accountable decision making
  • Ensuring value for money and effective delivery

View the National Assurance Framework

Our Assurance Framework

The responsibility for ensuring that we strictly adhere to the National Assurance Framework lies with the ‘Section 151 Officer’ in the partner local authority. For us, this is Hertfordshire County Council which acts as our accountable body. It is their responsibility to sign off our Assurance Framework each year, and ensure it is being implemented and that it meets the standards of the National Assurance Framework.

Hertfordshire Future’s Assurance Framework sets out:

  • How our boards are recruited and how they operate
  • The process of making funding decisions and how they deliver value for money
  • Our commitments to transparency of decision making

The Assurance Framework also sets out the Scheme of Delegation (pages 54-66) from Hertfordshire Futures Board to Hertfordshire Futures Chair & Deputy Chair, Hertfordshire Futures Chief Executive and sub-boards on Hertfordshire Futures decision making.

View our Assurance Framework (under review Nov 2024)

FAQs

Project funding decisions for the Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund are made in accordance with Hertfordshire Futures' Assurance Framework. Projects are externally appraised against strategic fit, value for money and deliverability and are then assessed by our Chairs’ Panel. The Chairs’ Panel may then request further information, recommend the project to HF Board for full approval, or deem it unsuitable for HF funding. Visit our Projects page to see how HF funding has been invested.
HF Board comprises 15 elected members: the Chair, six business representatives, two SME representatives, two from the fields of higher and further education, one not-for-profit representative and four local authority representatives. The Board is set at a maximum of 15 members to enable a strong team ethic, fully inclusive debate, and a capacity for rapid decisions. Our Assurance Framework sets out our Board’s decision-making process and governance arrangements. To learn more, visit our Governance page.
Our Business board members are recruited through an open and transparent recruitment process. All Business board members have a set term of office of three years with the option to be elected for a second term of office, also up to three years. Further Education representatives are elected on rotation and Local Authority representatives are elected by the Herts Leaders Group - both have a fixed term of two years. Hertfordshire County Council and Higher Education have a permanent place on the Hertfordshire Futures Board. Each of our board members abide by the Hertfordshire Futures Code of Conduct which includes the seven principles of public life and are unremunerated.
In line with our Code of Conduct, board members and senior staff who act in an advisory capacity to the Hertfordshire Futures Board and sub-Boards are required to declare their interests. These are available to view on our Register of Interests page. Board members and senior staff are required to declare whether they have any conflicts of interests at the start of each meeting. If a conflict arises at a meeting, the non-conflicted members will assess the nature of the conflict, assess the risk or threat to decision-making, decide whether the conflict is non-trivial and decide what steps to take to avoid or manage the conflict. The conflicted member/employee will not take part in the discussion or decision, and will not be counted when determining whether the board meeting is quorate. Any conflicts of interests will be recorded in the meeting minutes. Visit our Video & Documents page to view Board Papers and our Conflicts of Interest policy.
To view board papers, please visit our Video & Documents page. As per our Assurance Framework, papers for Hertfordshire Futures Board, Chairs’ Panel, Programme Management Committee, Programme Boards and Enterprise Zone Partnership Board are published to the following timescales: Board papers are published and sent out to members five clear working days before the meeting takes place. Draft minutes of board meetings are published ten clear working days of the meeting taking place, before being approved by the relevant board at the following meeting. The final minutes of board meetings are published within ten clear working days of being approved. In addition, all board agendas have a standing item for Declarations of Interest. Any Declarations of Interest made at the meeting and action undertaken from that declaration will be recorded in the minutes of the board meeting.
Got a question?
Vickie Holland is Contracts, Assurance and Monitoring Manager.