Alistair Arkley column

Mar 21 2007 By Alistair Arkley, The Journal

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

Those are just four of the organisations who, in the space of the last few weeks, have produced reports on the future of our region and how it should be governed.

I'm sure there were probably others, because it seems there is a never-ending flow of proposals for creating new structures to drive the economy of the North-East.

No doubt a great deal of time and effort goes into producing the various `think tank' reports which make the headlines in The Journal, but one has to wonder, do they really make any difference?

I am sure I am not alone in the North-East business community in wondering when the words will stop and the action will start. First we had John Prescott's `Northern Way' initiative and its vision of City Regions, quickly followed by the `Core Cities' programme and then the idea of `Metropolitan Area' agreements. It's hardly surprising that in their recently-published report `Is there a future for Regional Government?' MPs on the Communities and Local Government committee described policy as a muddle.

And those are just some of the ideas emanating from Government. In addition, we have all the reports and proposals which seem to spill out from other organisations. It seems there are many voices arguing for a `regional shake-up', yet all seem to offer a different way forward.

Perhaps the one thing they have in common is the view that the North-East needs `stronger leadership' and a belief that this can be delivered through the creation of new structures.

The one thing which seems missing from all the grand designs is the recognition that `leadership' is about people rather than structures and what really matters is bringing together the undoubted talent which exists within the North- East.

The fact is we already have a Regional Assembly which is arguably supposed to fulfil that role.

The disappointing reality is that at present too few leading figures in the region are prepared to become engaged in the Assembly.

It still needs to convince the public and the key players in both the public and private sectors that it really is fit for purpose.