Recently in Regional Development Agency Category

The Financial Times this morning has got into the whither-the-RDAs debate. The headline in the FT Notebook claims "Tory RDA plans 'hazy'".

The Tories are urged "to produce a formula that allows regional decisions to be taken at a sufficiently strategic level if they are serious about offering councils the chance to form local economic partnerships to take over regional development agencies' (RDAs) economic development responsibilities and funding".

Further on the Conservative's criteria are described as being as hazy as the likely fate of the RDA., with some surviving, such as the London Development Agency, because it is already devolved under the mayor, and possibly others such as One North East.

But Notebook takes the view that it would seem perverse if London were able to keep its RDA while lagging regions lost theirs.

Hmmmm. Nice to know that this blog is somewhat ahead of the FT! But it is genuinely difficult to see how it would work in practice if parts of the county kept their RDA, by virtue of strong local stakeholder support (or the special circumstances of the London Mayor), while other regions have to manage without theirs.

In common with a number of commentators I, too, think there is a real buzz around Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, despite the rain, and I am certainly learning a lot !

You'll have seen the coverage of George Osborne's "New Austerity" speech; the word among the Party Faithful is that this is brave bold stuff but that people don't think the country is ready.

In the words of one very senior local government politician: "we're all too soft". Well I sincerely hope that's not right as I think we're all doomed if so! Oh dear oh lor, the scale of the task is daunting.

Rocked up to a great Regeneration Fringe Event at lunchtime on Tuesday, run with a rod of iron by the ever-energetic Susan Brown of SBM.

Eversheds and King Sturge, together with Geoff Mulgan (now of the Young Foundation) were providing the backing vocals to Stewart Jackson MP, Shadow Spokesperson on Regeneration.