Joint memorandum submitted by the Association
of North East Councils & the North East Assembly
1. THE NEED
FOR A
LEVEL OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/BUSINESS/REGENERATION
POLICY DELIVERY
BETWEEN CENTRAL
AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
1.1 The Government's emphasis in recent
months and years on the crucial role of local government in economic
development has been very much welcomed in the North East. This
is a role which authorities have been playing in this region for
many years and they continue to place an emphasis on creating
the conditions for business to thrive. Central Government has
a key role strategically around issues of national importance
but experience (and evidence) has demonstrated the need to conduct
economic development and regeneration at the right spatial level:
national, regional, local. Each spatial level has a role to play,
and the SNR recognises this and seeks to further develop the concept.
2. THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF RDAS
AND THEIR
ROLE IN
ADDING VALUE
2.1 Effectiveness of RDAs and how they add
value is currently measured in a number of different ways including
performance data based on RDA self assessment and the National
Audit Office Independent Performance Assessments.
2.2 Each RDA outside London is subject to
regional scrutiny from their regional assembly, and the reports
of those scrutiny exercises are published. RDAs may choose to
accept or reject recommendations in the scrutiny reports.
2.3 Going forward it is critical to ensure
that future regional scrutiny arrangements to develop policy appropriate
to regional circumstances are robust and effective. The Association
of North East Councils (ANEC) and the North East Assembly have
agreed a set of principles that will ensure that future local
government regional scrutiny is constructive and non-confrontational,
adds value and avoids duplication. It will be forward-looking
emphasising policy development leading to action, with a particular
focus on scrutiny of the single Regional Strategy. There will
be close liaison with the Parliamentary regional select committees;
it will engage economic, social and environmental stakeholders
and be a means of engaging non-executive members of local authorities
by agreement through the Leaders Forum. ANEC is currently considering
a new process for handling scrutiny which is appropriate for the
new and emerging circumstances and arrangements.
3. RDA EXPERTISE
3.1 The right skills, expertise and relationships
will be needed to deliver the breadth of work required in implementing
SNR. All partners are committed to this, and sufficient resources
will be required
4. THE CONSEQUENCES
OF EXPANDING
RDA REMIT TO
INCLUDE NEW
FUNCTIONS, AS
PROPOSED BY
THE SUB
NATIONAL REVIEW,
INCLUDING THE
DELIVERY OF
EU FUNDING
4.1 Regional Planning Bodies currently have
a range of roles which they can exercise with democratic legitimacy
because they are accountable through their local authority membership.
Regional planning covers a range of important practical issues
such as consultation on major planning applications, conformity
of Local Development Frameworks etc which are currently dealt
with by the Development Board of the North East Assembly. In an
early response to SNR, the Association suggested that the Leaders
Forum (currently being established as part of ANEC, giving a "golden
thread" of accountability to the wider local government community)
could perform the role of the Regional Planning Body.
4.2 Given the impact of local government
re-organisation in the North East which comes into full effect
on 31 March 2009, we are currently looking at how the Leaders
Forum, the National Park and economic and social partners might
come together to provide this role during the transition. This
is supported by One NorthEast and we will be making a proposal
to Government shortly, as part of the transition arrangements.
4.3 Going forward, One NorthEast will need
to continue and to develop engagement with business, a wider range
of stakeholders and with the public.
5. THE ACCOUNTABILITY
OF RDAS
5.1 Paragraph 2.3 above outlines the principles
that we believe are essential to effective local government regional
scrutiny and contribute to regional policy development. The arrangements
for this, and liaison with parliamentary scrutiny, will be very
important in terms of accountability.
6. HOW RDA PERFORMANCE
HAS BEEN
MEASURED IN
THE PAST
AND WILL
BE MEASURED
IN FUTURE
6.1 In addition to the operation of in-region
scrutiny and the introduction of additional Parliamentary scrutiny,
it would make sense for there to be reporting lines to CLG as
well as BERR if and when RDAs take responsibility for the single
regional strategy.
19 September 2008
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