JOHN PRESCOTT TO GIVE KEYNOTE SPEECH AT PORTSMOUTH CONFERENCE

THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, JOHN PRESCOTT, WILL SPELL OUT the Government’s commitment to building sustainable communities at the South East Regional Urban Conference being held on 11 September in Portsmouth. More information on the conference is available in our Urban Renaissance section.

John Prescott will use the conference, which is being jointly organised by the South East England Regional Assembly and the Government Office for the South East, to update local authorities, businesses and the voluntary and community sector on the progress being made in the delivery of the Communities Plan in the South East and to indicate what he sees as the next steps in the programme. The South East is of particular importance to the Communities Plan as three of the four growth areas identified in the Plan are partially or wholly in the region.

The conference also marks the official launch of the preparation of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The RSS will provide a regional framework for managing future development in the South East and will replace current planning guidance for the South East, RPG9. This framework, which looks forward to 2026, is being prepared by the South East England Regional Assembly and will be used to help and guide the production of local plans and strategies.

Speakers at the conference also include Mike Gwilliam, Director of Planning and Transport at the Regional Assembly; Paul Martin, Regional Director of the Government Office for the South East; David Jordan, Regional Director for the Environment Agency and Cllr Phil Shaddock, Leader of Portsmouth City Council.

The conference is being held at Action Stations in Portsmouth’s historic dockyard, a leading example of how historic buildings in towns and cities have been conserved and regenerated in order to attract new investment and visitors.

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