centre for public scrutiny

Between 2007 and 2011, the structures and systems underpinning regional government in England were dismantled.

Powers previously belonging to Regional Assemblies and/or Regional Development Agencies have been passed elsewhere. Economic development is now the responsibility of a number of Local Enterprise Partnerships, comprised of local authority members and local business representatives.

Some government departments have established over sub-regional and regional systems of working and liaising, replacing the former Government Offices for the Regions. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Department for Communities and Local Government, are two that operate their own separate arrangements to direct and co-ordinate policy at local level.

It will still be open to local authorities to join together to scrutinise issues of sub-regional and regional concern. Powers to do so have been enhanced by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, and the creation of “city regions” in some parts of the country (not least the Manchester "combined authority") raises the real possibility that local authorities will begin working with each other to carry out this kind of regional scrutiny work in the future, despite the lack of a statutory requirement to do so.