Q&A

In July this year, the government announced that the regional development agencies’ (RDAs) powers could be boosted. Originally set up to promote local economic development, the nine agencies around the country are now being called on by central government to do this alongside neighbourhood renewal a tall order indeed. The extra demands require new skills and new ways of working but the RDAs have recently been hit with a budget cut.

Tom Warbuton, head of regeneration at RDA One North East, this month addressed the Sustainable Communities summit on the growing role of the RDAs and how they plan to deal with their new responsibilities.

What are the RDAs’ new powers?

The main thrust is that the regional develpment agencies become the regional planning body. This means we will draw up the regional spatial strategy and be responsible for setting outline housing numbers for the region.

This responsibility currently belongs to the regional assemblies. However, the plans are still being consulted on.

Do you have these skills already within the RDAs?

No, we will have to build better capability, particularly in planning, as well as looking at ways of working more closely with local authorities.

It sounds like a big job will you be getting more money?

There has actually been a 5% cut in real terms in our budget [RDAs will receive £2.14bn in 2010/11] but we see this as a vote of confidence in the RDAs. It was a very tight Comprehensive Spending Review and most departments got less money. We will have more responsibilities in the future but we will have to be more efficient and get better value for money.

Will anyone be checking that you are doing your job properly?

Yes, the new powers come with much more scrutiny, including from local authority leaders, regional ministers and a new select committee.

When are you expected to take on the planning role?

It’s proposed that we take it on sometime in 2010.