Councillor Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the South East England Regional Assembly, has been awarded a CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for services to local government.

Cllr Mitchell, Conservative Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, was elected Chairman of the Assembly in 2005, following three years as Chairman of the Assembly's Regional Planning Committee.

During that time he has steered development of the 20 year South East Plan, which sets out a planning vision covering the need for homes, jobs and an excellent environment that will all improve quality of life for the region's 8 million residents.

Cllr Mitchell said:

"I am pleased that this award recognises the role that I and other local and regional leaders can play in shaping sustainable communities for the people we represent. Devolving power from the centre to regions and local government can only result in better decisions based on our detailed knowledge of needs and potential.

"I'd like to thank all the partners from local government, business and the voluntary sector who have helped make regional planning in the South East such an inclusive and rewarding process."

Assembly Chief Executive Paul Bevan added:

"Cllr Mitchell has demonstrated true leadership at the regional level. He has not only committed time and energy to detailed political management, but he has defined and led the wider debate, he has been ready both to take on the sceptics and equally to challenge Ministers, he has negotiated consensus and won over opinion."

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. A photo of Cllr Keith Mitchell is available on request, please contact Lesley van Dijk
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. 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

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