Memorandum by the South West Regional
Assembly (SWRA) (RG 59)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The South West Regional Assembly (SWRA)
is pleased to have been invited to provide a response to the terms
of reference for the Committee's enquiry into "Is there A
Future for Regional Government".
1.2 As a cross-party, broad based partnership;
members of the SWRA have wide ranging views about the future of
the regional agenda and the relationship between Central Government,
the region and sub-regional and local partners. Nevertheless,
there are matters on which the SWRA is able to offer a consensus
view. The points made in this response reflect:
— on the impacts and successes of the
regional agenda as it has developed in the South West region;
— the Assembly's response to the 2002
Regional White Paper; and
— the Assembly's response to the Rt
Hon David Miliband's letter on the structures and functions of
Assemblies.
1.3 The Assembly is one of a number of the
organisations working at the regional level within the South West,
and is a relative newcomer only having been in existence since
1998. It is a true regional partnership in that it is both politically
and geographically representative of the region and draws together
elected politicians with key social, economic and environmental
organisations in the region. By bringing together such a wide
partnership it has not only enabled some strong regional decision
making but a number of important qualitative outcomes around cross-boundary
collaboration, sharing of information and resources, and enhanced
understanding of the challenges facing the South West. It considers
amongst its key headline successes to date to be:
— agreement across regional organisations
as to the South West's key aims and objectives through the Integrated
Regional Strategy;
— effective engagement of local authorities
in planning for the future growth of the South West through the
emerging Regional Spatial Strategy; and
— accountability of the South West
RDA to the people of the region through successive regional strategic
scrutiny reviews.
1.4 Members and Officers of the SWRA would
be willing to appear before the committee in further support of
this submission.
1.5 The following sections address each
element of the terms of reference in turn.
2. THE POTENTIAL
FOR INCREASING
THE ACCOUNTABILITY
OF DECISION-MAKING
AT THE
REGIONAL AND
SUB-REGIONAL
LEVEL AND
THE NEED
TO SIMPLIFY
EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS
2.1 Assembly members are committed to increased
accountability and transparency of decision making at all levels.
2.2 The Assembly believes that real progress
has been made in the South West on increasing accountability at
the regional level through the Regional Assembly working in partnership
with key regional organisations. The following list provides some
key examples of progress:
— The publication of Just Connect!,
the South West's first Integrated Regional Strategy in 2004, which
for the first time provides the region with a set of clear aims
and objectives to aid the integration of the 20 plus regional
strategies in the South West and is signed up to by all key regional
organisations (copy enclosed).
— Agreed regional responses on the
Regional Emphasis Document 2003, consultation on the potential
for Regional Funding Allocations in 2004, and the Regional Funding
Allocations process in 2006.
— Regional strategic review—the
Assembly's approach to its role in scrutinising the SW RDA which
draws together partners from across the South West at regional,
sub-regional and local level to reflect on policy issues of regional
significance and the respective roles of organisations in delivery.
— In progress—a draft leaflet
outlining the work of 3 of the key regional level bodies—the
Assembly, GOSW and the SW RDA which should help increase understanding
of the respective roles.
2.3 The Assembly believes that it is the
only regional level body with a clear measure of democratic accountability,
however imperfect. All the 51 local authorities nominate a Councillor
to the Assembly and the local authority membership which accounts
for nearly 70% of the total is politically balanced reflecting
the make up of the region. In addition key regional partners,
across sectors as diverse as business, the environment and equality
groups, are represented on the Assembly.
2.4 Nevertheless, there is potential for
change that would enhance the accountability of decision making
for which there is clear appetite both within and beyond the region.
Much of this appetite stems from the fact that it is clear that
current arrangements at regional level are not well understood
by all players which leads to lack of clarity over lines of responsibility.
Indeed, a consistent finding of the Assembly in undertaking its
regional strategic review programme to scrutinise the work of
the South West RDA is that there is a desire amongst partners
at all levels to understand better the relationship between regional
and sub-regional players and their respective roles and responsibilities.
It follows that there is a desire for clear communication and
further understanding on the roles of players at all levels.
2.5 The Assembly considers that there are
a number of processes in the pipeline that will increase accountability
and aid simplification at the regional level, for example the
creation of Natural England and the proposed merger of the Regional
Planning and Regional Housing bodies. Nevertheless, the Assembly
would encourage the Select Committee to explore the following
issues around the potential for simplification:
— the opportunity to streamline where
institutions are involved in doing the same thing eg are there
too many agencies doing the same thing, eg around business support
and economic development?;
— the opportunity to combine regional
assemblies with regional observatories to enable assemblies to
more effectively link policy development work and their role in
providing "the voice of the region" to regional intelligence;
— the opportunity for organisations
to come together on statutory planning work eg several regional
organisations are involved as statutory consultees on development
plans and applications—is there an opportunity to the draw
together regional players in responding to their statutory consultee
role?[87];
— the opportunity for regional assemblies
to have more of a role in the appointment of board members to
organisations such as RDAs, and for the greater sharing of board
papers amongst regional institutions including assemblies; and
— the need for greater connectivity
between policy and delivery. Further opportunities for spend to
be connected to strategic policy, such as through the Regional
Funding Allocation process, need to be explored.
2.6 Although joint working within the Just
Connect framework, has helped ensure that decision making is set
more firmly within the context agreed by the region, there remains
a lack of formal accountability to the region by the vast majority
of regional institutions. At the moment the Assembly only has
the remit and capacity to scrutinise the Regional Development
Agency spending within the region, but increasingly the scrutiny
reviews are looking at issues which cross organisational boundaries
both at regional and local level and which are helpful in ensuring
more open and better joined-up decision making at regional level
for example: the strategic review of the Learning and Skills agenda
encouraged Learning and Skills Councils in the SW to work together
regionally for the first time; the strategic review of tourism
enabled the linking of regional and local activity so that expenditure
supporting tourism in the region works better.
2.7 The Assembly considers, therefore, that
the Select Committee should explore seriously the potential for
increasing regional accountability through further endorsement
and effective use of the Assembly's scrutiny function. Regional
reviews of public spending led by the Assembly bringing in other
key partners will help ensure more soundly based expenditure in
meeting regional as well as national priorities. One area which
the South West Regional Assembly is keen to be able to contribute
to ensuring effective regional working in the activity of the
Highways Agency. There needs to be a closer relationship between
the Highways Agency, Assembly as the body responsible for regional
transport and local transport authorities.
2.8 The Assembly also believes it would
be helpful to arrange more partnership working across the health,
education and crime sectors in the South West. (The South West
Assembly has found it very beneficial to have a secondee from
public health support the development of the Regional Spatial
Strategy).
3. THE POTENTIAL
FOR DEVOLUTION
OF POWERS
FROM REGIONAL
TO LOCAL
LEVEL
3.1 The Assembly remains committed to the
principle of decision making being at the right level for the
purpose (as outlined in the Assembly's response to the Government's
White Paper).
3.2 Powers that are currently held at regional
level cross a range of regional institutions from the economic
role of the Regional Development Agency to the role of Regional
Assembly on statutory planning. Nevertheless, it is important
to emphasise that powers held at the regional level are still
relatively limited. The Assembly's current role is clearly in
the area of strategic policy and regional overview—facilitating
cross-boundary working. The Planning and Future Housing Body functions,
will still be advisory to Government and Few regional organisations
have executive, decision making powers directly influencing spend
in the region.
3.3 From the Assembly's perspective a key
question that needs to be pursued is about ensuring accountability
of decision making at whatever level it takes place. As outlined
in section 2 above, key institutions operating at the regional
level are effectively arms of national Government and are therefore
accountable at national level rather than regional or local level.
3.4 The Assembly firmly believes that joint-action
at the regional level has been important in assisting effective
delivery at the local level. For example, two key areas where
coordination at a regional level in the South West has proved
to be particularly important have been on waste incineration and
affordable housing. The regional housing body, in drawing together
key partners, has been able to provide clarity on the South West's
housing needs and priorities in a way which has been beneficial
at all levels in the South West. The Assembly in partnership with
the South West Local Government Association has then taken this
forward in making the case to Government on behalf of all the
region.
3.5 Clearly, one of the key functions of
the Assembly is regional planning. Working at the regional level
is enabling the greater joining up of policy at the local level.
It is arguable whether the extent to which some of the successful
cross-boundary collaboration on planning for the future of parts
of the region would have taken place without the influence of
the region. Joint Study Areas that have informed the developing
Regional Spatial Strategy have involved significant cross-boundary
collaboration in many parts of the South West.
3.6 It will clearly be important for the
Select Committee to reflect on the findings of the Lyons Review
on the functions of Local Government as part of this inquiry.
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF CURRENT
ARRANGEMENTS FOR
MANAGING SERVICES
AT THE
VARIOUS LEVELS,
AND THEIR
INTER-RELATIONSHIPS
4.1 The SWRA operates at the strategic level
and does not have a direct role in service provision. However,
it is able to make two key observations on this area.
4.2 The first is that it is committed to
the subsidiary principle—service delivery should take place
at the right level. There may be much to learn from Local Area
Agreements which offer the flexibility to local authorities to
deliver services in innovative ways to meet their needs.
4.3 The second is that the mismatch in institutional
boundaries across service providers creates confusion. At whatever
level services are deemed appropriate to deliver at, co-terminosity
of geographical boundaries would be of significant benefit.
5. THE POTENTIAL
FOR NEW
ARRANGEMENTS, PARTICULARLY
THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF CITY
REGIONS
5.1 The evident link between the economic
performance of regions and the competitiveness of their towns
and cities is clear. This is one of several reasons why the SWRA,
through the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy, supports the focussing
of housing and economic growth in its key urban areas. However,
as a very rural region, these areas' importance cannot be overlooked.
5.2 The "city-region" concept
is gaining increased parlance. Yet, without clear details on the
purpose, funding or administrative arrangements for city-regions
it is hard to comment on the real potential for, or implications
of such a model for the South West. Three key observations that
the SWRA can make are:
— any city region structures should
not be a substitute for regional wide policy coordination and
debate which has shown to be of real benefit to the South West
region as detailed under section 2 above;
— the relationship between any new
and existing arrangements needs to be clear and transparent and
increase accountability not blur it; and
— if "city-regions" are to
be equated with England's core-cities then in regions such as
the South West, with only one core city, arrangements will need
to be sensitive to the needs of other cities, towns and rural
areas.
5.3 The SWRA would be cautious about instigating
new arrangements without proper assessment of the value and effectiveness
of current structures.
5.4 It might be helpful to know that under
the auspices of "`The Way Ahead'—the South West's submission
to Government on the Sustainable Communities Plan"—the
region (led by the South West RDA) has established a "Key
Areas Group". What this group has shown is the benefit of
sharing best practice and experience between urban areas.
6. THE IMPACT
WHICH NEW
REGIONAL AND
SUB-REGIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS, SUCH
AS THE
CITY REGIONS,
MIGHT HAVE
UPON PERIPHERAL
TOWNS AND
CITIES
See comments under 5 above.
7. THE DESIRABILITY
OF CLOSER
INTER-REGIONAL
CO-OPERATION
(AS IN
THE NORTHERN
WAY) TO
TACKLE ECONOMIC
DISPARITIES
7.1 There are clear and tangible benefits
to close inter-regional co-operation to tackle economic disparities.
As the Northern Way has shown, where commonality of objectives
exists, there are real economies of scale achieved by working
closer together.
7.2 From the perspective of tackling economic
disparities in the South West two key areas that can be influenced
by inter-regional co-operation relate to transport infrastructure
and spatial planning. The South West has worked closely with Wales
and the South East on the Multi-Modal Study and continues to work
with across-regional boundaries on the development of the Regional
Spatial Strategy. A current priority is working with the South
East and East of England on the implications of the construction
of Crossrail on the economies of our respective regions. Nevertheless,
the SWRA considers working cross-regional boundaries is an opportunity
that regional players collectively need to do more of.
7.3 In the context of increasing global
competitiveness, it is clear that regions will need not simply
to collaborate with one another within the UK but look to solutions
to tackle economic disparities with neighbours in Europe and beyond.
87 The Assembly is committed to establishing protocol
with other statutory consultees to ensure that in commenting on
local plans and planning applications there is a consistency of
approach and the avoidance of duplication. Back
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