Nine cities and towns in the South East made their pitch for growth and investment last week. The ‘Diamonds for Growth’ group aim to be drivers of the region’s future prosperity. They presented their case at the annual meeting of the South East England Regional Assembly in Hove on Wednesday, 12 July.

The city regions and their surrounding areas, each mapped as broadly diamond shapes around a central urban core, are:

• Urban South Hampshire (including Portsmouth and Southampton)
• the Gatwick area - centred around Crawley
• Brighton and Hove
• Medway towns
• Basingstoke
• Reading
• Oxford
• Milton Keynes.

The ‘Diamonds’ have been identified in the proposed new regional economic strategy for the South East. The eight city regions account for one third of the region’s eight million population with economies that have grown faster than the region as a whole and the UK. They were cited in the region’s advice on regional funding allocations earlier this year as priorities for infrastructure investment.

The Diamonds Group will now work up detailed proposals with their sub-regional partners, the Assembly and SEEDA.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the Assembly, said:

“It is important that the Government recognises that the city regions agenda is not just about the really big cities. Urban renaissance for the smaller cities and towns in the South East is a strong theme in our regional plan . We have developed strong sub-regional partnerships through which the key urban centres and surrounding areas have agreed shared goals and are geared up to deliver sustainable growth.”

“The key to successful development of these diamonds lies in strong partnership working involving all of the local authorities within the diamonds, together with relevant environmental, social and economic partners. All our cities and towns need to perform and prosper if the South East is to remain successful.”

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. Regional Funding Allocations - The region’s advice on transport, housing and economic priorities (January 2006)
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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