Councillor Keith Mitchell, Conservative Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, was re-elected unanimously as Chairman of the South East England Regional Assembly at its annual meeting in Hove this week.

Cllr Mitchell, took on the role last year, during which the Assembly finalised the draft South East Plan, a 20-year planning vision for the South East. Assembly members congratulated him on the Assembly’s achievements, particularly his contribution to partnership working across the political groups and stakeholder members.

Cllr Don Turner, Labour, from Brighton and Hove City Council, was re-elected as Deputy Chairman of the Assembly for the fourth consecutive year. Cllr Turner sits on the Assembly’s Executive Committee and the Regional Housing Board.

Cllr Louise Bloom, Liberal Democrat, from Eastleigh Borough Council, becomes an Assembly vice-chair for the first time. She replaces Cllr Cec Tallack (Liberal Democrats, Milton Keynes) who stood down as vice-chair after three years. Ian Chisnall, representing social and environmental partners, Councillor Alan Hopkins, representing other parties, and Douglas Horner representing economic partners, remain Assembly vice-chairs.

The Assembly's Annual Report, launched at the meeting, highlights key achievements for 2005-06, including:

• The submission of the draft South East Plan to Government
  
  
• The most extensive regional planning consultation ever held in the country, achieving more than 95,000 responses on the South East Plan
  
  
• An extensive research programme (£600,000) to support the South East Plan’s evidence base
• Prioritising transport schemes for the region through the Regional Transport Board
• Making the case to Government for more infrastructure investment in the region through the Regional Funding Allocations advice and January’s South East Conference, organised with SEEDA
• An Assembly backed campaign for fairer funding for local government.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The Assembly’s Annual Report (2005-06) and Business Plan (2006-09) can be viewed on the website.
2. Photos of the Assembly’s meeting are available on request, please contact Lesley van Dijk.
3. The South East England Regional Assembly is the "regional partnership" 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.
4. The Regional Assembly is made up of 112 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) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
5. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
• It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
• 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.
• 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