The Changing Face of Accountability

Dagmar WallerRegional Scrutiny Manager

West Midlands Regional Assembly

Local Authority • Widening the focus with

partnership scrutiny• Local Area Agreements• Comprehensive Area

Assessments• Petitions• Councillor Calls for

Action• Duty to promote

Democracy

Regionally• Local Democracy, Economic

Development and Construction Bill• Abolition of Assemblies – April 2010• No requirement for LA led scrutiny• Local Authority Leaders Board• Joint working with RDA

But• Where is the accountability for regional

strategic decision making?

Regional Select Committees

Expected

• 8 Regions - not London

• 12 month trial from Jan

• National political balance

• Meet 6 times a year

• Unpaid Chairman

• Examine regional strategies/regional bodies

But!

• Debate re Membership 3 March 08

• Conservative/Liberal Democrat boycott

• 5 Labour members per Committee agreed

• Potential conflict of interests – PPS’

• Are they representative of region?

• Will they consider issues from regional perspective?

Regional Grand Committees

• 8 Committees - not London• Open to all MP’s from Region• Meet once or twice a year within

Region• Hold Regional Minister to account (45

minutes)• General Debates on specified issues• Does this provide effective

accountability?

South East

• Regional Assembly dissolved 1 April

• South East England Leaders Board

• South East England Partnership Board– 8 from Leaders Board plus 4 from

SEEDA

• No scrutiny role

• Informal accountability through the decision making process

South East Committee

Members

Dr Stephen Ladyman (Chair) – South Thanet

Celia Barlow – Hove

David Lepper – Brighton, Pavilion

Glyn Prosser - Dover

Andrew Smith – Oxford East

First EnquirySEEDA and the RES • SEEDA roles, responsibilities and

accountability• Process of drawing up RES and

involvement of stakeholders• Effect of economic situation and

effectiveness of initiatives inc Business Links

• Changes to regional policy proposed by Local Democracy et al Bill

• Partnership working

A Possible Future?Conservative Green Paper

• Cut back inspection

• Abolition of CAA

• Allow LA’s to decide structures (incl. return to Committee structures)

Regionally

• Abolition of RDAs?

Any Questions?