The AEP was set up in 1994 and became a limited company in 1997. Whilst the AEP was established prior to SEEDA's Single Regeneration Bid (SRB) fund, its main focus and function over the past several years has been the management of that programme. In partner circles, the AEP is well regarded as an organisation that “delivers” and this was echoed by the 2003 Mackinnon report which carried out the end-of-scheme evaluation of the Adur Industry First SRB programme.

Although the main work of the AEP has without doubt been the managing of the SRB fund, additional support in terms of manpower and finance has been given to other areas such as the Town Centre Partnership / Ropetackle and Community Activity. In 2000 the AEP, jointly with Adur District Council, launched a 5 year economic strategy and this has been an important document that has informed all areas of work. In 2003, the AEP led the writing of the economic and business-related chapter of the Adur Community Strategy, under the developing Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), Adur in Partnership.

In recent years the AEP has developed a clear role and “voice” concerning economic, business and education related issues. Examples of this include commenting upon the West Sussex County Council draft Structure Plan, feeding into the South Coast Multi Modal Study consultations, responding to the Shoreham Cement Work’s planning application and representation on the Local Area Investment Framework (AIF) Board. The AEP is viewed as the local organisation mandated to speak upon economic and business topics.

The AEP is a membership-based organisation, currently with about 55 business and education members together with a number of local and neighbouring public sector organisations. The AEP retains a high local profile and many of the original Board members and partners continue to support and contribute to the work. The AEP Board currently has 10 directors and 4 co-opted members. All directors submit themselves for re-election, by rotation, every three years.