Updated 7:32pm 8 February 2012:

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Alistair Arkley

Alistair Arkley

Alistair Arkley column

In less than a fortnight local councils will have the chance "to further improve their relationships with local businesses".Read

Alistair Arkley column

The Local Government Association, The North-East Regional Information Partnership, The New Local Government Network, The Commons Communities and Local Government Committee.Read

Alistair Arkley column

It's hard to turn on your TV nowadays without seeing the appealing face of Jamie Oliver - in his admirable work in offering opportunities to young people from troubled backgrounds or those adverts for a certain supermarket.Read

Alistair Arkley column

So how much of a watershed is the departure of Tony Blair and the near-certain transfer of Gordon Brown from Number 11 to Number 10 Downing Street?Read

Alistair Arkley column

I suspect that after recent events that there might be a few of us feeling a bit cynical about the Government's often-expressed enthusiasm for `partnership' - after all there doesn't seem to have been much around the corridors of power!Read

Alistair Arkley column

I could not help but smile when I read recently that, according to that modern-day bible for tourists, the Rough Guide, the best visitor experience in Britain is a night out in Newcastle.Read

Alistair Arkley column

In the recent Cabinet shake-up, most of the media attention has concentrated on either the host of problems on the desk of new Home Secretary John Reid or the view that perhaps there isn't quite enough paperwork on the desk of John Prescott to justify him retaining a substantial salary, together with the use of a country estate (now no longer, of course!) and a stylish London apartment.Read

Alistair Arkley column

We're told by the political pundits that Tony Blair is determined to leave a "legacy" which will affect all our lives … whether it be in education, health or even ID cards!Read

Alistair Arkley column

We are in the `choice' era of politics. The word appears in virtually every speech by every party leader, but rarely does anyone ask the question - whose choice?Read

Alistair Arkley column

If there's one topic that's certain to come up whenever business people get together it's energy.Read

Alistair Arkley column

Cast your mind back a few weeks ago to what we were told would be the mayhem about to descend on our streets and communities.Read

Alistair Arkley column

If the old maxim that "a week is a long time in politics" holds true, then three-and-a-half years is an age.Read

How will they hear our voice?

You might recall that a few weeks ago I highlighted the "black hole" in regional leadership as a result of the North-East elected assembly referendum and the need to examine ways in which we could create something with the breadth of representation - and independence - for the vital Voice of the North-East role.Read

Alistair Arkley column

You may recall that it's only a few weeks since we had not one, but two, Government Ministers visiting the region to discuss with North-East businesses our views on reducing the burden of regulation.Read

Alistair Arkley

If you polled the North-East business community on the most important issues affecting their companies and the region's economy, I suspect transport would come near the top of the list.Read

Alistair Arkley column

So who do you think should be providing leadership for our region?Read

Alistair Arkley column

I know the golden rule that, I think as Harold Wilson first put it, a week is a long time in politics. But I'd like to believe that there are occasions when our national leaders really do mean what they say - and stick to it.Read

Alistair Arkley column

So what did the referendum vote say about our region? Did it suggest we all believe everything in the garden is rosy and we don't need to change the way the North-East is governed?Read

Our clear vision for the future

I suspect that if anyone five years ago had forecast that every significant interest within the Tees Valley would come together to produce an organisation able to develop a vision for the future of our area - and then to begin to turn the vision into reality - they would have been greeted with a degree of scepticism!Read

Author Profile

Alistair Arkley is the managing director of New Century Inns has an impressive history in the brewing industry. Heavily involved in the governance of the North East, he is chairman of the Northern Business Forum, board member of Tees Valley Regeneration and One NorthEast. He was awarded a CBE in 2006.

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