AS regional development agency One North East is gradually scaled down ahead of its eventual dissolution, the shape of the new organisations which will, in part, takes its place are beginning to emerge.

After a period of protracted debate and occasional in-fighting, the two new local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) – one for Teesside and the other for the rest of the region – have now been set up and their figureheads are in place.

They will be supplemented by the North East Economic Partnership (NEEP), covering the whole of the region, and focusing on some major strategic issues identified as critical to our economic success.

The mountain of acronyms may be enough to turn off most members of the business community, but there’s also plenty of interest in how the new landscape of economic development bodies will work out.

Sceptics fear that the involvement of local councils will inevitably lead to further fall-outs as political interests take precedence over what’s needed for the overall good of the region. But optimists say that the new set-up will offer a fresh start with the region well placed to build on the good work achieved under One North East’s leadership.

In a four-page Vision special report, the new chairman of the LEP for the north of the region outlines his vision in an exclusive article while Mike Hughes looks at the business case for its Teesside counterpart.

Finally, Andrew Sugden, of the North East Chamber of Commerce, explains the rationale for the new NEEP and what it could mean for the region.