ANNUAL MEETING, BRIGHTON

The Assembly held its fourth Annual Meeting in Brighton on 17 July 2002. This Bulletin summarises the day's proceedings.

NEW ASSEMBLY CHAIR

Cllr Skellett, Leader of Surrey County Council was elected as the Chair of the Assembly for 2002-2003.

The voting was:

• Cllr Skellett (Conservative) 120
• Cllr Silverman (Labour) 71

REGIONAL WHITE PAPER

The keynote speech was given by Barbara Roche MP, Minister of State in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. She focused on the Government's plans for decentralising power and strengthening regional policy through the establishment of directly elected regional assemblies in those regions that want them. These plans were set out in the White Paper, 'Your Region, Your Choice', published in May 2002.

In response to the White Paper, the Assembly agreed the following eight points which will be put to Government for its consideration:

• Asymmetrical devolution is an expedience that puts at risk the vital principle of a 'level playing field' in resource distribution between regions.
• There is no demonstrable rationale for coupling local government reorganisation to the creation of elected assemblies; regions should have the freedom to choose to have an elected assembly as well as two-tier local government.
• The stronger role for regional chambers is largely a consolidation of existing arrangements; while that is welcome, it is disappointing that the proposals stop short of allowing chambers to finalise Regional Spatial Strategies.
• This Assembly strongly contests the proposal to favour regions besides the South East for the location of new streams of government work.
• Bringing housing capital investment together with economic development programmes in a 'single pot' for elected assemblies is a powerful combination; the Government is asked to consider how the integration and the accountability of these regional investment streams could be further enhanced in regions without elected assemblies.
• In view of the responsibilities that elected assemblies will be given in respect to economic development and spatial planning, their role as proposed in respect of regional transport investment looks regrettably weak.
• The limited size range for elected assemblies compared to the population size range of regions would create wide disparities in regional representation: an elected assembly of only 35 members would be too small adequately to represent a region as large as South East England.
• The equal participation of stakeholders in elected assemblies, as openly and transparently chosen representatives of constituencies of interest, would strengthen rather than weaken assemblies' legitimacy, and could in particular enhance their inclusiveness where geographical constituencies are few in number, extensive in area, and inevitably diverse in character.

The Assembly agreed to set up a review group to look at its constitution in the light of the White Paper. Any proposals for change will be put to the Assembly plenary in March 2003.

REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

As past Chair of the Regional Planning Committee Cllr Nick Skellett reported on its work since February. He explained the Committee's involvement on affordable housing, in respect of which the Committee had agreed 46 recommendations aimed at all the key players in the housing arena - Central Government, local government, housing associations, housebuilders and the Regional Assembly itself. The Assembly also formally agreed its advice to Government on the London to South West and South Wales Multi-Modal Study (SWARMMS). Both these reports can be found in the Planning section of this web site.

REGIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY

The Assembly received a presentation on the responses which SEEDA has received to its consultation on the RES and how the proposed policies might be developed as a result. SEEDA has to date received over 200 responses, the overall messages being:

• There is general acceptance of SEEDA's analysis of the region's economy and its ambition for 'smart' growth;
• There is consensus on the overriding importance of key issues such as transport, skills and affordable housing;
• More work is required on SEEDA's role and partner contributions in delivering the RES, key priorities and actions, and policy links to areas such as health and crime prevention.

The Assembly will be considering the draft revised RES in the autumn.

MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES - 17 JULY 2002

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Cllr Nick Skellett (Chair)
Cllr Ron Gee OBE (Vice Chair)
Mr Nigel Horton-Baker (Vice Chair)
Cllr Keith House (Vice Chair)
Cllr Dr Lawrence Silverman (Vice Chair)
Mr Jeremy Leggett (Vice Chair)
Cllr Sandy Bruce-Lockhart OBE
Cllr David Shakespeare OBE
Cllr David Kirk
Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin
Cllr Rory Love
Cllr Gordon Keymer CBE
Cllr Derek Whittaker
Cllr Don Turner
Cllr Barry Coppock
Cllr Mrs Jan Morgan
Cllr Mick Stevens
Cllr Cec Tallack
Cllr Mrs Rosie Sharpley
Mr David Brooks Wilson
Dr Michael Thrower
Mr Frank Stroud
Mr Mark Chiverton
Mr Chris Corrigan
Mr Ken Dufton
Mr Robert Hamlin
Cllr Michael Chater

REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin
Cllr David Davis
Cllr Lt Col Tex Pemberton OBE
Cllr Bill Chapple
Cllr Keith Mitchell
Cllr Mrs Sarah Hohler
Cllr Sean Woodward
Cllr Dr Lawrence Silverman
Cllr Leo Madden
Cllr Royce Longton
Cllr Mrs Rosie Sharpley
Cllr Mrs Paula Baker
Cllr Mrs Shirley Smart
Cllr Harry Rees
Mr David Brooks Wilson
Mr Tim Lockwood
Mr Shaun Whittaker
Dr Robert Page
Ms Sharon Hedges
Mr Robert Hamlin

HEALTHY REGION FORUM

Cllr Mrs Alison Cook
Cllr Mrs Elizabeth Cartwright
Cllr Mrs Christine Field
Cllr Mrs Anne Milton
Cllr Maureen Holding
Cllr Felicity Hindson MBE
Cllr Don Phillips
Cllr Richard Williams
Cllr Douglas Murdoch
Cllr Judith Ost
Cllr Mrs Rosie Sharpley
Cllr Brian Gurden
Cllr Martin Vye
Cllr Mrs Ruth Lyon
Mrs Faith Matyszak MBE
Professor Alisdair Smith
Dr Michael Thrower
Mr Ram Appadoo
Ms Jacqui Bremner
Mr Robert Jones
Cllr Geoff Hill
Mr Peter Bingham

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STEERING GROUP

Cllr Derek Whittaker
Cllr John Lovell
Mr Frank Stroud
Mr Chris Corrigan
Mrs Sharon Hedges

JOINT EUROPE COMMITTEE

Cllr P Hutcheson
Cllr Alex King
South East Partners - tbc
Cllr Mrs Jan Morgan
Cllr Mick Stevens
Cllr Don Turner
Cllr Harry Rees
Mrs Pam Palmer

SEEDA BOARD COMMITTEE

Cllr Harold Hall (Infrastructure)
Cllr David Kirk (Business Development)
Cllr Barry Coppock (Regeneration)
Cllr Sheila Campbell (Rural)
Mr John Cochrane (Sustainable Development)
Mr Robert Hamlin (Learning and Workforce)

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Last updated: 21 August 2007