FAQs
Why did we have a regional assembly when the region voted against it in the 2004 referendum?
If the Assembly was not directly elected, how could it be representative?
Wasn't the Assembly just another quango?
Did North East Assembly members get paid large salaries from the NEA?
Was the North East Assembly an unnecessary extra layer of bureaucracy?
Had the North East Assembly taken local planning decisions away from local authorities?
Wasn't the North East Assembly just a talking shop?
Did I pay for the North East Assembly through my council tax?
Had the North East Assembly been set up as part of a European plan to undermine the nation state?
When was the North East Assembly set up?
How did the North East Assembly's role differ from One North East's?
How did the North East Assembly differ from the Association of North East Councils?
Where was the North East Assembly based?
How many people worked in the Assembly Directorate?
Who were North East Assembly's members?
Who was the Chair of the North East Assembly?
Did Regional Assemblies exist in other parts of the country?
What geographical area did the North East Assembly cover?
How much money did the North East Assembly cost?
When did the North East Assembly become the Regional Planning body for the North East?
This website provides an archive of the Association of North East Council's (ANEC's) strategy integration role in relation to regional planning, housing, transport, scrutiny and sustainable development which ceased in 2010. It holds information about ANEC's statuory role in relation to the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) adopted 2008 and the evidence which informed the development of this. It is also an archive of the work of the North East Assembly (NEA) which was disbanded in April 2009. Why did we have a regional assembly when the region voted against it in the 2004 referendum?The referendum in November 2004 in North East England rejected the concept of a change to a directly elected regional assembly. Therefore the referendum did not affect the existence or powers of the NEA.
The NEA was established in 1999 under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 which designated regional development agencies and regional chambers (assemblies). It was one of eight regional assemblies across England. The NEA continued to carry out its statutory duties in strategic planning, transport, housing and provided regional accountability to ONE. If the Assembly was not directly elected, how could it be representative?The NEA had 73 members who came from the public, private and voluntary sectors. They were not directly elected to the NEA but were nominated by their organisations; 70% of them were elected local councillors representing all 25 local councils in the region, town and parish councils, MPs and MEPs. The remaining 30% represent a wide range of regional interests including the voluntary and community sector, business, trades unions, environmental interests, education, rural and faith groups. Wasn't the Assembly just another quango?No, quangos, also known as Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are arms-length agencies run by Government appointees responsible for advising on and carrying out Government policy.
The NEA did not carry out Government policy. In contrast, through its representative membership, it gave councils and stakeholders collective influence in regional affairs - influence they would not have as individual councils or organisations.
The NEA could shape the region's policies for strategic planning, housing, transport and the environment according to its members' priorities not Government direction. Did North East Assembly members get paid large salaries from the NEA?No. Members did not get paid for being on the NEA. A members' allowances scheme had been developed to enable all members to be involved and engaged in the work of the NEA.
The scheme was aimed at enabling those experiencing barriers to engagement, especially the voluntary and community sectors, and others for whom costs of participation were an issue.
Allowances could be claimed by any member or nominee who could not either claim payment from their employer or the organisation they represented or by any other means, or for whom contributing to the work of the Assembly was not deemed by their employer as related to their "business" activity. Expenses included: - travelling: standard public transport costs, casual user rate mileage expenses and car parking fees;
- subsistence: the actual cost of meals and accommodation, with receipts provided; and
- carer's expenses: for expenditure incurred for the care of dependants paid at the minimum wage.
Was the North East Assembly an unnecessary extra layer of bureaucracy?No. There has been a regional level of governance in England since 1994, when government offices for the regions were created. Many government agencies and quangos also operate at the regional level; they are accountable upwards to central Government but are largely out of the public eye. The NEA was accountable through its members. The role of the NEA was to bring a regional perspective to the work of the government agencies in North East England. Many of the powers of regional assemblies had been delegated from central Government to the region. Had the North East Assembly taken local planning decisions away from local authorities?No. The NEA drew up the planning framework for the region (the Regional Spatial Strategy) for the Government to agree and was consulted by local authorities on major planning applications and the preparation of their local development frameworks. Local authorities maintain control over local decisions. Wasn't the North East Assembly just a talking shop?No. Besides acting as a voice of North East England to Government, the NEA had an important statutory role to play in region-wide planning allowing the region to develop economically and socially while protecting the environment.
For example, the Regional Spatial Strategy sets out the broad strategic policies at the regional level as people's lives are not lived within local authority boundaries. In areas like housing, transport planning and sustainability, the NEA supported this by bringing together a regional approach that co-ordinates these areas. Did I pay for the North East Assembly through my council tax?The main source of NEA funding came from central Government, from the Department for Communities and Local Government. Subscriptions were agreed and paid each year by all the region's local councils and this made up a total of less than £90,000 per year raised from across the region. Had the North East Assembly been set up as part of a European plan to undermine the nation state?No. The NEA was created under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 and is one of the eight regional assemblies across England. It received no funding from and had no accountability to the European Union (EU). As part of its advocacy role the NEA aimed to influence the EU to ensure that policies and funding reflected the interests and priorities of the region. To do that we had joined with other organisations and universities in the region to fund a representational office in Brussels, and we worked with Members of the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions to ensure they were briefed on regional issues. When was the North East Assembly set up?The North East Assembly was established in 1999 by the Government as part of its commitment to strengthening policy in the English regions. It came into operation in April 1999 at the same time as the Regional Development Agency One North East. How did the North East Assembly's role differ from One North East's?One North East's role is to take a strategic lead in driving improved economic performance in the region and for delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy.
One North East is a public body that is directly accountable to Government Ministers and Parliament.
The North East Assembly had a wider role for ensuring that broader regional interests are properly represented both in relation to regional economic strategies and on other cross-cutting issues, such as transport, land use planning and improving quality of life.
Prior to 1999, there was no such existing region-wide body in the North East which could perform such a role. This is why the Government supported the establishment of voluntary, multi-party, regional assemblies in parallel with the creation of Regional Development Agencies in each of the eight English regions. How did the North East Assembly differ from the Association of North East Councils?The North East Assembly included representation from the 25 local authorities but draws in a much wider membership from the public, private and voluntary sector. The Assembly hada role for expressing the interests of the region as a whole and responding to the needs of the region. The wide cross- representation on the Assembly had enabled it to build up effective working relationships at the regional level with a wide range of interests and stakeholders.
The Association of North East Councils exists to represent the interests of the 25 local authorities in the North East on issues affecting them. It aims to speak with a clear voice on behalf of local government and to ensure that the collective voice of local government in the North East is heard.
The Association of North East Councils and the North East Assembly were separate bodies, each with its own constitution in the form of Rules of Procedure and membership. Where was the North East Assembly based?The Assembly is based at the Axis Building, Maingate, Team Valley, Gateshead. How many people worked in the Assembly Directorate?Around 30 people were employed in the directorate. Who were North East Assembly's members?Our 73 members included local authorities, business, trade, culture, media, sport, education, training, MPs and MEPs, health, rural, the environment and voluntary sectors. Who was the Chair of the North East Assembly?Alex Watson was the Chair of the North East Assembly. Cllr Watson was also Leader of Derwentside District Council.
Cllr Dave Ledger, Cllr David Blackie and Mr Paul Briggs were Vice-Chairs of the North East Assembly. Did Regional Assemblies exist in other parts of the country?Yes, there was a regional assembly for each of the eight English regions.
So, in addition to the North East Assembly, the following were in existence:
East of England Regional Assembly
East Midlands Regional Assembly
North West Regional Assembly
South East England Regional Assembly
South West Regional Assembly
West Midlands Regional Assembly
Yorkshire and Humber Assembly What geographical area did the North East Assembly cover?The North East Assembly covered the whole of the North East region, including Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and Tees Valley. How much money did the North East Assembly cost?In 2006/07, the NEA budget was just under £2 million. Nearly 95 per cent of the budget was provided by the Government, while the remainder took the form of local authority subscriptions. In total this was equivalent to less than £1 per person in the region each year. When did the North East Assembly become the Regional Planning body for the North East?The North East Assembly became the regional planning body for the North East on 1 April 2002, with responsibility for producing regional planning guidance (RPG) including the Regional Transport Strategy. Responsibility for RPG was transferred to the North East Assembly from the Association of North East Councils.
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