Clause 71
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]
5:15 pm
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth and Camborne, Liberal Democrat)
Our two amendments are very similar and raise essentially the same question: once again, who is in charge of the revision process? It is clear from the clause—particularly from subsection (4), which the amendments would delete—that the Secretary of State can reserve the right to require changes at any time that he or she feels appropriate, and can direct the responsible regional authority to do so.
It is clear that the Secretary of State can initiate a review. What I am not as clear about is which half—whether it is either, one or both—can initiate a review of the regional strategy. Under the previous clause, the responsible regional authority is made up of the regional development agency and the leaders’ board. We know from clause 71 that the responsible regional authorities may prepare a draft revision. Must any revision by agreed by both the leaders’ board and the regional development agency before the revision can go ahead? Can one of them veto it? If the regional development agency wanted to revise its strategy and the leaders’ board said no, who would win that debate? The clause is not at all clear on that.
To understand the power relationship between the leaders’ board and the regional development agency, it is important to understand exactly how the process would work. We are concerned about the extent of the powers that are being withheld, and held instead by the Secretary of State, but we also want to understand exactly what the relationship would be at the level of the responsible regional authority.