East Midlands Regional Assembly

East Midlands Regional Assembly
Name	East Midlands Regional Assembly
Formation	1999
Dissolution	2010
Type	Regional chamber
Headquarters	Nottingham
Location	Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Northamptonshire
Membership	Local authority and devolved representatives
Leader title	Chair

East Midlands Regional Assembly

The East Midlands Regional Assembly was a statutory regional chamber for the East Midlands of England established in 1999 and abolished in 2010. It operated alongside regional development agencies and regional forums such as the East Midlands Development Agency and the Government Office for the East Midlands, engaging with local councils including Nottingham City Council, Derby City Council, Leicester City Council, Northampton Borough Council, and Lincolnshire County Council. The assembly connected stakeholders from Rutland County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Derbyshire County Council, Northamptonshire County Council, and Nottinghamshire County Council to national bodies like the Department for Communities and Local Government and regional initiatives linked to Regional Spatial Strategies and the East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.

History

The assembly was formed following the regionalisation debates of the late 1990s that involved actors such as the Labour Party (UK), the New Labour administration under Tony Blair, and white papers influenced by commissions including the Harman Report. Its creation paralleled the launch of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 and the establishment of the East Midlands Development Agency to coordinate economic regeneration across counties like Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire. Throughout the 2000s the assembly contributed to regional planning documents that intersected with policies from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (UK) and the National Audit Office scrutiny of regional delivery. Political debates involving Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and the Conservative Party (UK) framed perceptions of regional assemblies, while local campaigns by councils such as Nottinghamshire County Council and bodies like the Local Government Association questioned the assembly’s mandate. The 2008 global financial crisis and subsequent policy reviews by the Cameron–Clegg coalition led to reassessments culminating in the assembly’s abolition amid reforms affecting entities like the Regional Development Agencies.

Structure and Membership

The assembly’s membership combined appointed representatives from unitary and county councils including Derbyshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, and Northamptonshire County Council with delegates from district councils such as South Kesteven District Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council. It incorporated members from the voluntary sector, business interests represented by chambers like the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, and trade unions affiliated with the Trades Union Congress. Chairs and vice-chairs were drawn from councillors who had served in bodies such as Ashfield District Council and Boston Borough Council, while advisory panels included specialists from universities like the University of Nottingham, Loughborough University, and University of Leicester. The assembly operated committees mirroring regional themes found in documents from the Planning Inspectorate and coordinating with the Highways Agency on transport matters affecting corridors such as the M1 motorway and rail routes to St Pancras railway station.

Functions and Responsibilities

Mandated to advise on regional strategy, the assembly prepared responses to drafts of the Regional Spatial Strategy and coordinated input for the Regional Economic Strategy produced by the East Midlands Development Agency. It provided a consultative forum for spatial planning issues involving infrastructure projects like upgrades to East Midlands Airport and enhancements to lines managed by Network Rail. The assembly liaised with cultural institutions such as the Derby Museum and Art Gallery and Nottingham Playhouse when shaping cultural elements of regional plans, and it engaged with health bodies including NHS East Midlands over workforce and service distribution. In land-use matters it interacted with agencies like the Environment Agency and heritage organizations including English Heritage when assessing impacts on sites such as the Derby Cathedral precinct and the Lincoln Cathedral environs.

Funding and Administration

Operational funding combined grant allocations from central departments including the Department for Communities and Local Government and contributions from local authorities such as Rutland County Council. Administrative support came from a secretariat based in Nottingham that processed agendas, minutes, and policy briefings, recruiting staff with experience in regional planning and public affairs drawn from institutions like the Government Office for the East Midlands. Financial oversight was subject to audits by bodies like the National Audit Office and scrutiny by the Local Government Ombudsman when complaints arose. Budget pressures mirrored those confronting the Regional Development Agencies and were influenced by spending reviews led by chancellors including Alistair Darling.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics including members of the Conservative Party (UK) and local campaign groups such as residents’ associations in Northampton argued the assembly suffered from democratic deficit and duplication with authorities like the East Midlands Development Agency and the Local Government Association. Academics from institutions such as the University of Leicester published analyses comparing regional chambers to alternative governance models promoted by think tanks like the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Adam Smith Institute. Controversies arose over transparency of decision-making, allocation of funds to promotional initiatives tied to bodies such as the East Midlands Tourism partnership, and perceived overlap with transport responsibilities handled by the Highways Agency and Network Rail.

Dissolution and Legacy

Abolition in 2010 followed policy shifts by the Cameron Ministry and structural changes that included the winding down of the Regional Development Agencies and transfer of some functions to Local Enterprise Partnerships such as the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. Legacy elements remain in regional strategies archived by the Government Office for the East Midlands and in cooperative arrangements among county councils including Derbyshire County Council and Leicestershire County Council. The assembly’s records inform academic studies at universities like the University of Nottingham and policy reviews by organizations such as the Institute for Government, while debates it sparked continue to influence discussions about sub-national structures involving entities like the Local Government Association and the National Audit Office.

Category:Organisations based in Nottingham