ASSEMBLY TO CONSIDER FUTURE OF M25 AT 5 MARCH MEETING

THE SOUTH EAST ENGLAND REGIONAL ASSEMBLY will decide its advice to Government on ORBIT - the recent study on orbital travel around London, including the future of the M25 - at its full Assembly meeting in Woking on Wednesday, 5 March 2003.

The Assembly members will be invited to agree recommendations on the public transport aspects of the study as well as the M25 itself. Once approved, these views will be sent to the Secretary of State as the Assembly's formal advice on the ORBIT Multi-Modal Study.

Other topics under discussion at the meeting on 5 March include:

• The South East's response to the Government's soundings exercise on referendums for elected regional assemblies;
  
  
• The Regional Strategy for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency - the Assembly will be agreeing the draft strategy to be sent to the Secretary of State for formal inclusion into Regional Planning Guidance;
  
  
• The Regional Spatial Strategy for Tourism - the Assembly will also be agreeing this draft strategy to be sent to the Secretary of State for formal inclusion into Regional Planning Guidance;
  
  
• The Assembly's budget for 2003-2004.

The meeting will also include a keynote speech from the Chairman of the Countryside Agency, Sir Ewen Cameron.

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