01 August 2008
England's regional development agencies met or exceeded their performance targets in most areas in the past financial year, according to government figures.
The figures place the RDAs in a good position ahead of the government's response to the sub-national review consultation, expected to be published in the autumn. If the review's proposals go ahead, RDAs would become planning bodies instead of regional assemblies as the government integrates regional economic and planning strategies.
All the RDAs created or safeguarded their minimum number of jobs and, excluding the London Development Agency, helped create more businesses than their minimum target.
A total of £2.52bn was invested in regeneration infrastructure, with agencies raising between 45% and 100% of their individual investment from the private sector.
The figures, released by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on July 22, also showed that several RDAs did not meet their minimum targets related to adult skills.
Pat McFadden, the minister for employment relations and business affairs, said it was 'more important than ever' at a time of economic uncertainty to have strong RDAs 'supporting business, fostering economic development and helping create and safeguard jobs'.
In 2007/08, the RDAs, including London, received £2.28bn in direct funding. The agencies also manage the European Union Regional Development Fund and the Rural Development Programme, which is jointly funded by the EU and the government.
Last month, Local Government and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said the government would be responding fully to the sub-national review after the parliamentary recess, adding she was concerned to 'get it right'.
The Local Government Association has raised concerns that the review could 'erode the local democratic accountability of planning decisions'.
The LGA wants joint agreements between councils and RDAs on planning strategies rather than the current proposals, which would create a forum of council leaders to 'sign off' the draft plans.
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