Regional Development Agencies are back!

The decision by 7 North East Council to merge to merge their economic roles is a ground breaking decision, which has passed unnoticed by the London based political elite. This is exactly the sort of innovative thinking that Eric Pickles has been calling for, so solid support from the Government should now be forthcoming. As well as economies of scale, the key Economic Development remit will pass to this new Regional Authority, enabling the North East to present a united message when seeking inward investment. Similar plans are emerging elsewhere in the country, with Leeds and Sheffield also looking to develop similar Regional structures to match Boris Johnson's London, and the major Metropolitan Regions of Birmingham & Greater Manchester. It is now widely recognised by industry, academia and Local Government that the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies was one of the Government's worst decision. Yet swathes of English Regional economic delivery organisations established by the RDA's survived abolition because they are successfully delivering badly needed economic development (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland's RDAs were not abolished). Now these successful legacy bodies are set to be joined by new Regional Authorities which will be accountable to local people via the ballot box.