17 July 2007
Sub-national economic development and regeneration review
Budget 2006 announced that the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review would be informed by a series of policy reviews, one of which was a review of sub-national economic development and regeneration to consider how to strengthen economic performance in regions, cities and localities throughout the country.
The review has been led jointly by the Treasury, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and their predecessor departments.
The review outlines the Government's plans to refocus both powers and responsibilities to support its objectives to encourage economic growth and tackle deprivation at every level, by:
- empowering all local authorities to promote economic development and neighbourhood renewal, with greater flexibility, stronger partnership working and cooperation from other agencies, and better incentives for achieving economic growth and for ensuring disadvantaged areas benefit from and contribute to economic development;
- a differential approach that supports local authorities in all areas to work together more effectively where they so wish, for example through pooling resources, responsibilities and targets at the sub-regional level, and supporting the development of robust decision-making at this level;
- streamlining the regional tier outside London, based on more effective and accountable RDAs which would be responsible, working closely with local authorities, for preparing a single strategy for the region. RDAs will also provide support to local authorities and sub-regions in delivery of sustainable economic development, with stronger performance management; and
- sharpening focus of central government departments through clearer objectives and responsibilities to provide more effective support and better coordination for economic development and neighbourhood renewal at all spatial levels.
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