News Release : 23 October 2001

UNIQUE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO LEAD REGIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANNING WORK

A UNIQUE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TEAM has been elected to lead the Planning Committee of the South East England Regional Assembly, the region's Planning Body.

Assembly members Cllr Nick Skellett, Leader of Surrey County Council, and David Wilson, Managing Director of Eurotunnel Developments Limited, were unanimously elected as Planning Committee Chair and Vice-Chair respectively at a meeting on 12 October.

The combination of a local authority leader and a top business executive is believed to be a 'first' for a major planning committee, certainly at regional level. It will give an opportunity to draw business skills and experience more actively into the Assembly's planning work. David Wilson's extensive experience on transport issues will be particularly valuable for the Committee in preparing a new Regional Transport Strategy.

Cllr Skellett has been re-elected to continue in the role of Chair; he was elected as the Planning Committee's inaugural Chair when the Committee was set up last year.
Cllr Skellett said: "Regional Planning now has to consider and accommodate regional priorities in transport, economic development and social inclusion, as well as land use directive functions. These are critical and immensely important issues for the eight million people who live in the South East. I would like to thank my colleagues for re-electing me and I look forward to the huge challenge ahead."
David Wilson, newly elected Vice Chair of the Committee said: "I am delighted to have been selected to represent the interests of business and the economic partnerships on the South East England Regional Assembly Planning Committee. Working closely with Cllr Nick Skellett, and the Government Office of the South East, I am sure that we will be able to address the large strategic issues that will affect the South East region over the next few years."

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

Copyright © 2004 SEERA Limited. All rights reserved.