Regional and Sub Regional Structures

The Coalition Government has removed the regional structure and set up new sub-regional structures to support its localism agenda. CPRE has always supports the aspiration to devolve power to local people but believes it is important that there is still a strategic over-view. We are also particularly concerned that sub-regional engagement includes all partners. In particular social and environmental interests need to be given appropriate weight alongside economic development.
The new Institutions are still emerging and some are still building their capacity but we will be montioring them closely to ensure countryside issues are properly addressed. The following are the key new organisations.
Local Enterprise Partnerships can play a key role in delivering economic growth but they need to be part of a wider dialogue.
Local Nature Partnerships are critical in delivering biodiversity goals, but will also need to address wider sustainability issues.
Rural and Farming Networks are an opportunity to address broad countryside issues but need to take on board all elements of rural development, including the value of landscapes and tranquility.
Emerging Local Transport Boards need a broad spectrum of transport expertise, including people working on sustainable transport.
As well as new sub-regional structures there are also still a number of organisations which are regionally based, and some Government Departments, notably the Business Department, whose BIS Local offices follow the old regional boundaries.
There is also the West Midlands Councils which includes a small number of officers from the Regional Assembly and advise Local Authorities across the region on policy issues. There are still a number of Officers Group, including the Regioinal Planning Officers Group and Regional Heritage Forum to which we have access.
Future Network West Midlands has been set up to bring together planners and other policy makers interested in strategic planning and we continue to liaise with them.
The West Midlands Regional Sustainability Forum brings together Environment and Amenity NGOs and we remain a member. We also work with Sustainability West Midlands as appropriate.