Planning Bill

Perhaps I may go into a bit of detail. The powers of regional assemblies will be transferred in 2010. As I say, they are not statutory bodies; they can choose to have a life of their own and take on other functions. In the north-west, for example, the regional assembly has been formally abolished and 4NW has been established in its place with a leaders’ forum for the north-west area. The Secretary of State has designated 4NW as the regional planning body for the north-west. It has received grant from CLG on the basis that it undertakes the activities of the previous regional assembly. In Yorkshire and Humberside, the regional assembly recently resolved to wind itself up with effect from the end of March 2009 and to replace itself with a leaders’ forum. Discussions on the details of that are now being undertaken by the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber and regional partners. Each region can come to its own democratic decision on how best to be configured in the future. The leaders’ forum is an idea that has been put forward and is an option. The important thing is to ensure that local authorities decide for themselves how best to exercise their partnership, which may take different forms. In the mean time, it is certainly the Government’s intention to continue to fund the functions undertaken by the regional planning body to ensure, for example, that the RSS reviews are completed and that work on preparation for the single regional strategy is commenced. It underlines that we are essentially trying to achieve or facilitate through other configurations better democratic partnership in place of regional assemblies, ensuring that the local authority is smaller but has a driving power in that regional arrangement. As noble Lords will know, once the consultation is completed we shall in due course bring forward legislation to bring to life the SNR. The clause leaves essentially unchanged the ultimate responsibility for regional planning of regional assemblies whose membership is drawn predominantly from elected local government. I hope that I have reassured my noble friend that it is not a transfer of powers but delegation, and that we are alive to the importance of ensuring that democratic control continues.