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Proposals on how regions should prepare new style Regional Strategies and new Local Authority Leaders Boards were published today for consultation by Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton.

Regional Strategies are part of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction (LDEDC) Bill which is in the final stages of going through Parliament.

Regional Strategies will combine the current economic and regional spatial strategies into a single integrated vision. The consultation sets out how the Bill will be implemented after Royal Assent has been achieved.

Local Authorities through their Leaders Boards will decide the Regional Strategy in partnership with the Regional Development Agency.

This 12 week consultation covers the draft planning policy, guidance and regulations that will establish the process that responsible regional authorities will have to follow when they revise their regional strategies. It includes:

• A Draft Policy Statement on preparing Regional Strategies to replace the current Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Spatial Strategies
• Draft Regulations for the LDEDC Bill set out what organisations will have to be consulted when regional strategies are prepared, what project plans should contain, when monitoring must be carried out and access to information requirements
• Draft Guidance providing detail on how to establish and run Leaders Boards
• Draft guidance on the sustainability appraisals of Regional Strategies.

Rosie Winterton said:

"Our national economy relies on strong regional and local economies. Single integrated Regional Strategies will create one long term strategic vision for each region with local authority leaders and Regional Development Agencies working to the same blueprint to provide the investment and support to make sure every region prospers.

"Today I am publishing a consultation that sets out the arrangements for how we will put the new Regional Strategies in place following Royal Assent of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction (LDEDC) Bill."

Notes to editors

1. The proposals for a new Regional Strategy were first announced in the Review of Sub National Economy and Regeneration (July 2007) which was followed by a consultation Prosperous Places: Taking forward the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration (March 2008). The Government's response to this was set out in Prosperous Places: taking forward the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration - the Government response to public consultation (November 2008). The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill was introduced in Parliament in December 2008 and implements these proposals.

2. The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill HL 2008-09 can be viewed at http://services.parliament.uk/bills/ (external link) and is due to be finalised later this year. Part 5 of the Bill establishes a new regional strategy for each region in England, outside Greater London, which needs to set out policies in relation to sustainable economic growth and in relation to development and land use in the region. The regional strategy must be kept under review and revised from time to time by the responsible regional authorities, which comprise a Local Authority Leaders Board for the region working in partnership with the Regional Development Agency.

3. The Government gave a commitment in January to set out more detail of the three priority policy outcomes (economic, housing and climate change) it wants to see delivered through regional strategies. Further details will be published this autumn.

4. When finalised the Policy Statement on Regional Strategies will replace Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Spatial Strategies (PPS11); Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Planning Strategies (2004) - technical amendments (2009) and Guidance to Regional Development Agencies on Regional Strategies (2005). A final policy statement is expected to be published in early 2010.

5. When finalised the Town and Country Planning (Regional Strategy) (England) Regulations 2010 will replace the Town and Country Planning (Regional Planning) (England) Regulations 2004. In is anticipated that the regulations will be commenced in spring 2010.

6. Guidance on the preparation of schemes for the establishment and operation of Leaders Boards will be published in final form in autumn 2009.

7. Final supplementary guidance on the preparation of sustainability appraisals on Regional Strategies will be published alongside the Policy Statement in early 2010. The guidance replaces the Regional Spatial Strategy section of "Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents" (ODPM, 2005) and supplement the "Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive" (ODPM, 2006).

8. The consultation paper can be viewed online at http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/regionalstrategiesconsultation.

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