Regional development agency

Last updated

In the United Kingdom, regional development agencies (RDAs) were nine non-departmental public bodies established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of England's Government Office regions between 1998 and 2010. There was one RDA for each of the NUTS level 1 regions of England. Similar activities were carried out in Wales by the Welsh Government Department of Economy and Transport, in Northern Ireland by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and in Scotland by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Contents

In June 2010 the UK government announced the abolition of the RDAs which took place on 31 March 2012, with a view to reducing the government deficit; similar economic development would be undertaken by local councils and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). [1] There was no direct replacement for the RDAs as LEPs did not at first receive funding from central government, and local councils did not receive an equivalent injection of income from central funds, having been called upon to make savings and support similar initiatives. [2]

Background

Regional Development Agencies Act 1998
Act of Parliament
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (variant 1, 1952-2022).svg
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title An Act to make provision for regional development agencies in England; to make provision about the Development Commission and the Urban Regeneration Agency; and for connected purposes.
Citation 1988 c. 45
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Regional development had been a concern of UK policymakers, particularly on the Left, since at least the 1970s. [3] After Labour came to power in the 1997 election, eight RDAs were created on 25 November 1998 following the passing of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. [4] In subsequent years their scope and powers were enhanced, and a ninth agency, for London, was established in July 2000. [5] The statutory objectives of the RDAs were:

  1. to further economic development and regeneration;
  2. to promote business efficiency and competitiveness;
  3. to promote employment;
  4. to enhance the development and application of skills relevant to employment, and
  5. to contribute to sustainable development.

They took over responsibility from Government Offices for administering European Union regional development funds.

Funding

The RDAs were funded from HM Treasury via six central government departments:

The funding from these departments was pooled, and then allocated to each of the RDAs based on several factors, such as the percentage of people living in deprived areas within the RDA catchment area and the unemployment rate. [6] The total funding, known as the 'Single Pot', was:[ citation needed ]

In 2009 a study by accountants PriceWaterhouseCoopers showed that RDAs were generating £1 for the local economy for every £1 of public spending, though this figure was estimated to rise to £4.50 when long-term investments in infrastructure matured. [7]

Structure

Eight of the nine RDAs reported to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the exception being the London Development Agency (LDA), which reported directly to the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

Each RDA was led by a chair and a board of 15 people, appointed by BIS ministers (except in London, where the mayor appointed). The RDA chairs were all business people, while the boards were made up of representatives of business, local government, trade unions and voluntary organisations.

The day-to-day running of the RDA was the responsibility of the Chief Executive who was appointed by the board, subject to approval by BIS ministers (or the London Mayor in the case of the LDA).

Operation

The objectives of the RDAs were set out in the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) of each region. The RES was a document created and maintained by the RDA for the whole region, i.e. it was not simply a document to guide the RDA, it was intended to guide the work of other organisations also. Each RDA updated their RES on a regular basis (approximately every three years) by consulting widely with their partners, and stakeholders in the region, including local government, voluntary organisations, private organisations, and other interested groups. The RES was submitted to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for formal approval.

The RDAs sought to achieve their objectives in a variety of ways. The most obvious of these was by funding projects aimed at addressing them, either directly from the RDA, or indirectly through a funded body. Secondly, they sought to influence other stakeholders in the region to take action themselves. Thirdly, they sought to influence the policies of central government where they might impact on the region.

The RDAs worked together in a number of areas, with different RDAs taking the 'lead' role in varying policy areas. Additionally, the RDAs jointly funded a central secretariat to co-ordinate this activity. [8] Finally, the three northern RDAs (Northwest Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward and One NorthEast) collaborated on The Northern Way.

Each RDA had a science and industry council (SIC) made up of business, university and public sector experts. Each SIC advised its RDA on science and innovation investments. Each region had a slightly different focus, but all SICs contributed to the national Technology Strategy [9] (owned by the Technology Strategy Board). [10] This was done via a strategic advisory group on which the chairs of each science and industry council sat.

Abolition and replacement

Following the June 2010 "emergency" budget, the coalition government announced its intention to replace the RDAs by smaller-scale partnerships between local authorities and businesses, known as local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). [11] The RDAs were abolished on 31 March 2012. The RDA for the South West became Regen, a not-for-profit focused on accelerating the transition to clean energy [12]

List

The Regional Development Agencies were:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom</span>

The parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom are committees of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Each consists of a small number of Members of Parliament from the House of Commons, or peers from the House of Lords, or a mix of both, appointed to deal with particular areas or issues; most are made up of members of the Commons. The majority of parliamentary committees are select committees. The remit of these committees vary depending on whether they are committees of the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional assembly (England)</span> Former regional bodies in England

The regional chambers of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies that were created by the provisions of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. There were eight regional chambers, one for each of the regions of England except Greater London, which had opted for an elected mayor and assembly in 1998. All eight regional chambers had adopted the title "regional assembly" or "assembly" as part of their name, though this was not an official status in law. The chambers were abolished over a two-year period between 31 March 2008 and 31 March 2010 and some of their functions were assumed by newly established local authority leaders' boards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Learning and Skills Council</span> UK non-departmental public body

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in England. It closed on 31 March 2010 and was replaced by the Skills Funding Agency and the Young People's Learning Agency.

In Canada, the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) are the seven federal government agencies responsible for addressing key economic challenges and furthering economic development, diversification, and job creation specific to their respective regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Northern Way</span>

The Northern Way was a collaboration initiated in February 2004 between the three northern regional development agencies (RDAs), Northwest Development Agency, One NorthEast and Yorkshire Forward at the instigation of the then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to focus on issues important for the whole of the North of England with a dimension larger than could be tackled by one region alone — for example, transport infrastructure, or marketing the North internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North–South divide in England</span> Cultural and socio-economic differences

In England, the term North–South divide refers to the cultural, economic, and social differences between:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South East England Development Agency</span>

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) was one of a number of regional development agencies in England. It was set up as a non-departmental public body in 1999 to promote the region and to enable a number of more difficult regeneration projects which otherwise might not take place. It covered Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South West of England Regional Development Agency</span>

The South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) was one of the nine Regional Development Agencies set up by the United Kingdom government in 1999. Its purpose was to lead the development of a sustainable economy in South West England, investing to unlock the region's business potential. It was abolished along with all the other RDAs on 31 March 2012, with some of its functions being replaced by local enterprise partnerships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire Forward</span> Former development agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, England

Yorkshire Forward was the regional development agency (RDA) for the Yorkshire and the Humber region of the United Kingdom. It supported the development of business in the region by encouraging public and private investment in education, skills, environment and infrastructure. It was abolished on 31 March 2012 following the public spending review announced in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advantage West Midlands</span>

Advantage West Midlands was established in 1999 as one of nine regional development agencies (RDAs) in England. RDAs were created by the UK Government to drive sustainable economic development and social and physical regeneration through a business-led approach. Operating at arm's length from government, RDAs had business-led Boards that were appointed by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Advantage West Midlands was closed on 31 March 2012 as part of the wider closure of the RDA network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local authority leaders' board</span>

Local authority leaders' boards are voluntary regional associations of council leaders that have been established in England outside of Greater London to replace certain functions of the now abolished regional chambers. The establishment of the boards was part of the UK Government's Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration. which brought forward the Government's plans to alter the structure of regional governance in England and was mandated by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. In June 2010, the new Conservative-LibDem coalition government announced plans to remove funding from the new boards and to remove their statutory functions. It was indicated that the boards might continue as voluntary associations of council leaders.

The North of England Inward Investment Agency is a UK government sponsored agency that represents two regional development agencies (RDAs) in North England: Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), One NorthEast (ONE) and Yorkshire Forward (YF). NoE’s primary function is to work as an ambassador to businesses and therefore attract targeted inward investment to the North of England region.

East Midlands Development Agency, abbreviated EMDA, was the regional development agency for the East Midlands region of England formed in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of England</span> Highest tier of sub-national division in England

The regions of England, formerly known as the government office regions, are the highest tier of sub-national division in England. They were established in 1994 and follow the 1974–96 county borders. They are a continuation of the former 1940s standard regions which followed the 1889–1974 administrative county borders. Between 1994 and 2011, all nine regions had partly devolved functions; they no longer fulfil this role, continuing to be used for limited statistical purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds City Region</span> City region and Local enterprise partnership in England

The Leeds City Region, or informally Greater Leeds, is a local enterprise partnership city region located in West Yorkshire, England. Prior to the West Yorkshire devolution deal, the partnership covered parts of South and North Yorkshire. According to the Office for National Statistics, as of 2017 the city region ranked 2nd behind Greater London for both population and GVA in the United Kingdom. It has a population of 2,320,214 million and a GVA of £69.62 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional minister</span>

In England, regional ministers were appointed from 2007 on a part-time basis as part of Her Majesty's Government. Each minister had other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the English regions. Their stated role was "to provide a clear sense of strategic direction for the nine English regions and to help strengthen their links with central government."

In England, local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses, set up in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help determine local economic priorities and lead economic growth and job creation within the local area. They carry out some of the functions previously carried out by the regional development agencies which were abolished in March 2012. In certain areas, funding is received from the UK government via growth deals.

The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) is one of 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships set up by Government to drive economic development in England.

The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) was established in 2011, and is one of 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships set up by the Government to drive economic development in England. The SEMLEP geographical region includes 36 enterprise and innovation centres, and five universities. Its board is made up of representatives from the public and private sectors, in addition to skills providers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional economy in Wales</span> Four regional economic boards in Wales

Regional economy in Wales is centred on four regional economic boards in Wales. Each board oversees a city or growth deal, signed between 2016 and 2022, lasting 10–15 years. Two of the deals are city deals signed and proposed by their respective economic boards, and their areas are described as "city regions"; the Cardiff Capital Region and Swansea Bay City Region. Whereas in North Wales, the North Wales Economic Ambition Board negotiated a North Wales growth deal signed in 2020, and in Mid Wales, the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, led negotiations for a Mid Wales growth deal signed in 2022. The programmes are based on the City deal and Growth deal initiatives set up by the Coalition UK Government in 2012, to promote the decentralisation of the UK economy, by stimulating local economic growth.

References

  1. ↑ "Fears Over Cumbria Funding as Northwest Development Agency Faces Chop Archived 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine ", Times & Star, 17 June 2010, retrieved 2010-06-19
  2. ↑ "Local Enterprise Partnership Capacity Fund". Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. February 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Trevor Fisk and Ken Jones, Regional Development (Fabian Tract, no. 417, December 1972)
  4. ↑ UK Legislation website - The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1998
  5. ↑ UK Legislation website - The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2000
  6. ↑ Pearce, Graham; Ayres, Sarah (2009). "Governance in the English Regions: The Role of the Regional Development Agencies". Urban Studies. 46 (3): 537–557. Bibcode:2009UrbSt..46..537P. doi:10.1177/0042098008100994. hdl: 1983/80a63495-8962-48ca-976e-f338020050c7 . S2CID   155005099 . Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Tyler, Richard (31 March 2009). "Regional development agencies 'deliver value for economy'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "England's Regional Development Agencies :: Economic development and regeneration". Archived from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  9. ↑ "Technology Strategy Board | Our strategy". Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
  10. ↑ "Innovate UK - GOV.UK". Innovateuk.org. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  11. ↑ "Councils and businesses to rebalance local economy - GOV.UK". Communities.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  12. ↑ https://www.regen.co.uk/
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.