All the regions papers have come together to launch the NEvolution campaign and build upon the work of the two key regional assessments
Earlier this year, Lord Heseltine carried out a nationwide review which called for a new era of handing over power to control on a local level the multi-billion pound budgets presently run by Whitehall. The Government agrees with Heseltine and is beginning the process of transferring powers to local leaders to run the regional transport, skills training and economic growth budgets.
An early forerunner of this type of action is the City Deal and the Enterprise Hubs that have already happened and pre date the report.
Subsequently Lord Adonis, and key local business leaders, was asked by the North East LEP to set out his thoughts specifically on the North East LEP Region. I helped in a small way to contribute to that report. One of the key issues raised was the encouragement of greater regional banking of which I shall write more this coming week
Thoughts on both reports are largely very positive both in the North East and Westminster.
No one wants to see a return to wasted money on pet projects, and unaccounted spending, but a combination of the LEP and Local Authorities working in harmony to drive skills, economic drivers and transport reform would be very welcome. For me this is all a part of the sea change in the North East that sees the local authorities fighting each other less and increasingly coming together to gain critical mass on key issues for the common good. I welcome the papers campaign.
Mondays Journal [and the other regional papers] have the full story:
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2013/06/03/north-east-newspapers-join-forces-to-launch-job-creation-campaign-61634-33419185/
