News Release : 18 July 2001

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY SETS OUT PROPOSALS FOR ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING

ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING for the South East England Regional Assembly, which was announced today, marks the start of a new phase of strengthened regional accountability, better regional intelligence, and a stronger voice for England's largest region.

For the first time the Government is funding English Assemblies directly, making up to £500,000 available to each designated regional chamber to support their expanded roles of overseeing the work of their Regional Development Agencies and monitoring the delivery of regional economic strategies.

The South East England Regional Assembly's proposals for the additional funding, which have already been submitted to Government, have three themes:

Building the regional picture - improving regional intelligence, monitoring the progress of the region in an integrated way, and ensuring that data is well presented and accessible. (At present noone has more than a partial understanding of how the South East region works.)

Enhancing identity and involvement - stepping up external communications so that stakeholders (business, the voluntary sector, local authorities etc) recognise the significance of the regional agenda, and are more easily able to participate in the Assembly's business.

Stronger accountability - working constructively with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to ensure its plans reflect the views of the region; expanding the Assembly's dialogue with other key regional players e.g. the Health Service and the Environment Agency to ensure there are 'joined up' strategies for the region.
Assembly Chair Cllr David Shakespeare OBE welcomed today's announcement: "This signals the Government's interest in having a representative regional voice in each English region, and we aim to ensure that the voice of the South East is heard loud and clear.

"We are the UK's largest and most economically successful region. The country depends on us for its prosperity. We will only protect and improve the quality of life in the South East if we punch our weight in London and Brussels, so that the South East gets the investment it needs in infrastructure and services."

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
   
   
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
   
   
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
   
   
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
   
   
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007

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