NEW ASSEMBLY CHAIRMAN ‘PROUD TO BE BONKERS’

Government must listen to the people on new homes for the South East and not dismiss our views as ‘bonkers’, South East England Regional Assembly Chairman Cllr Keith Mitchell CBE said this week.

Newly re-elected Assembly Chairman, Cllr Mitchell told other Assembly members:

“If Government thinks we’re bonkers to insist on investment in transport, schools, hospitals and parks to support new homes, then I have to say we’re proud to be bonkers.”

He added:

“Councillors and communities in the South East spent three years researching needs before agreeing a total of 578,000 new homes by 2026. Now Government wants to impose much higher numbers and over-rule our democratically agreed decision just because they disagree.

“In fact they disagree so strongly that they now plan to bypass local input by transferring decisions to a quango of wholly unelected Government placemen. These placemen will be appointed by the Government; paid by the Government; instructed by the Government and wholly accountable to the Government. This is not democracy; it is not localism.”

Cllr Mitchell, Conservative Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, was re-elected Chairman at the Assembly’s annual meeting in Reading this week.

Ian Chisnall from Sussex, representing social and environmental partners, was elected Deputy Chairman of the Assembly.

Vice Chairs were also elected for each of the other groups represented on the Assembly:

• Cllr Louise Bloom, of Eastleigh Borough Council, is Liberal Democrat Vice-chair for the second year.
• Peter Dean from Hampshire is Vice-chair representing business and economic partners.
• Cllr Tony Page, of Reading Borough Council, is Labour Vice- chair.
• Cllr Michael Chater is Vice-chair representing Town and Parish Councils and Independent parties.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The Assembly is a partnership of councils and communities in the South East region. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
   
   
2. The 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.
   
   
3. The Assembly has six roles:
1. Regional Planning
   preparing and delivering the South East Plan
2. Regional Housing
   the Regional Housing Board decides housing investment priorities
3. Regional Transport
   the Regional Transport Board decides transport investment priorities
4. Advocacy
   pressing the South East's interests in London and Brussels
5. Accountability
   scrutinising SEEDA's plans and impact
6. Alignment
   co-ordinating regional policies and decisions.

Our vision is for a distinctive, outward-looking, accessible region of prosperous, sustainable communities, with a high quality of life and environment.

Last updated: 21 August 2007