Alistair Arkley column

Dec 15 2004 By Alistair Arkley, The Journal

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?

I don't believe so.

The central message in the overwhelming vote from people right across the region was that what was on offer was simply not good enough.

The central question which politicians at every level need to ask themselves is why so many of them were quite clearly at odds with their electorate?

Throughout the referendum campaign a central plank of the `Yes' campaign was that an elected regional assembly would make a real difference in addressing the fundamental economic challenges facing the North-East, that it could bring more jobs, more investment, improved transport links and much more.

From what I can judge, those involved at the sharp end of the region's economy, simply were not convinced. I suspect that in fact the overall views of the business community were probably roughly in line with the near 4/1 split in the vote of the people.

So where do we go from here? It would be a disaster if local and regional politicians, so clearly bruised by this experience, simply battened down the hatches and tried to return to business as usual.

I hope that they will have the judgment - and dare I say it, the humility - to recognise the ballot box is not the only qualification for involvement in shaping the future of our region and that they must genuinely reach out to the business community … and indeed all sections of the community.

The key as to whether the Northern Way, an initiative which I hope John Prescott will continue to champion, and its plan to use our core city regions to drive forward economic regeneration can succeed will be whether we can learn the lessons of the referendum, whether we can now build on the existing structures within the region - and here I include everything from bodies such as the Northern Business Forum to the potential power block of the North-East's MPs - to deliver the answers and solutions which we all know are still required now that the people have given their verdict.

Alistair Arkley is chairman of New Century Inns, chairman of the Northern Business Forum and Tees Valley Partnership and a member of the Entrepreneurs Forum.