6 Conclusion
104. We welcome the increased
funding that the East Midlands has received for a wide range of
services and projects in the region. Our inquiry has focused on
whether the East Midlands receives an appropriate level of funding
and examined whether the mechanisms for allocating and delivering
that funding from Government, national funding organisations and
regional bodies could be improved.
105. Whilst many services are
not provided on a region wide basis, we note that the Government
is encouraging regional bodies to work together in a more coordinated
way. This is particularly illustrated in the development of an
Integrated Regional Strategy which will provide guidance on transport,
planning and housing matters. We see part of that strategy as
being the identification and securing of appropriate levels of
funding for the entire region.
106. We are concerned that the
Government, when setting spending limits and targets for services
in the East Midlands, is not always allocating the funding that
their own formulae defines. As a consequence, we are concerned
that some service providers are unable to meet the Government's
targets. More transparency and simplicity is required in the way
funding levels are decided, particularly in relation to how formulae
are devised and the weighting and damping mechanisms that are
applied to them. It is essential that the data provided to inform
the formulae is as current and complete as possible so that funding
reflects current needs.
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