Partner Article

RDAs future unclear

THE coalition government set out plans yesterday which could see regional development agencies such as One North East completely reformed.

The next five years could see regional development agencies replaced with a new system of local enterprise partnerships.

The government published its 34-page document “The coalition: our programme for government” setting out the results of last week’s policy negotiations.

It set out more details of its overhaul of regional development agencies, as well as confirming changes to the planning system and its plans to reduce the £163bn budget deficit.

Among its plans it said it would create Local Enterprise Partnerships – joint ventures between local authorities and businesses – to replace regional development agencies.

However, it did not say it would scrap all RDAs as these Local Enterprise Partnerships “may take the form of the existing RDAs in areas where they are popular”.

James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the NECC said: “We hugely welcome the opportunity for local authorities and the business community to work together to deliver increased economic success and build upon all of the work done over recent years.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .