North East regional assembly:

The issues and the Green Party viewpoint

 

A Green Party press office briefing

 

Cllr Nic Best,

Green Party spokesperson on regional affairs

October 2004

Contact Green Party press office, 020 7561 0282

 

 

 

1. Introduction

1.1 Although the powers and functions on offer are nothing very exciting, and the linkage with local government reorganisation is totally inappropriate, North East England Green Party supports the campaign for an elected regional assembly and urges people to vote YES in the Referendum.

 

2. Powers

2.1 Most of the powers on offer already exist at regional level, but are exercised by unaccountable bodies, like One NorthEast. And, even if we do not choose an elected regional assembly, powers will still go on being concentrated at a regional level. The Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 abolished county structure plans and made the existing appointed and unaccountable regional assemblies responsible for the new regional spatial strategy.

2.2 An elected regional assembly will, amongst other things, immediately:

    1. Have direct responsibility for the regional development agency, One NorthEast, appointing its chairman and board members. At present, this responsibility is held largely by the DTI.

    2. Appoint 5 out of 15 members to the region’s learning & skills councils and lead on the regional skills partnership. These are currently QUANGOs responsible to the DfEE.

    3. Administer EU structural funds and the ERDP, roles currently undertaken by Government Office North East.

    4. Be responsible for the regional spatial strategy, currently the responsibility of the existing unelected regional assembly.

    5. Be responsible for regional housing strategy and the allocation of housing capital investment for local authorities, currently the responsibility of Government Office North East .

    6. Fund and sponsor the regional cultural consortium and appoint the members and chairs of the regional sports and arts councils.

2.3 In other words, they’ll mainly be taking on functions already operating at regional level. Powers may have been taken from local authorities, but not having an elected regional assembly won’t give them back.

 

3. Funding

3.1 We’re told that an elected regional assembly will have a £350 million grant from national government (taken from regional QUANGOs that get it at present) plus a £100 million "new money" sweetener.

3.2 We’re told that an elected regional assembly will cost £3.5 million to run, and this will be raised through council tax – around £25 a year on D-band properties. That’s the first year – they can then choose to raise this, but the Scottish Parliament haven’t exercised their powers to raise income tax, so it’s unlikely we’ll see much of an increase if any. And in rural areas, the unitary authorities should run at lower council tax rates than the existing two tier system – so there should be a net saving.

 

4. Conclusion

4.1 The Green Party is in favour of elected regional assemblies, and even though the current proposal falls far short of our ideal, it’s certainly better than the nothing we have at the moment. Decision-making is increasingly taking place at the regional level, and it should be made democratically accountable. We would expect an assembly to gain powers as it matures. If we don’t go for an elected assembly now, it could be 25 years before we have another chance.