Monday 5 March 2012

The future for regional development – what next after RDAs?


The TUC is running a free, informative, seminar bringing together leading exponents and practitioners on the delivery of sustainable economic development at local and regional level.



It will be held on Thursday 12 April, 10.30am to 1.00pm, TUC, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS – lunch provided.

Key speakers include:
Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham. Elected in 2002, Sir Robin was the first Labour directly elected Mayor in England. He was re-elected in 2006 and most recently, in May 2010, won a third consecutive term. Robin also led the Association of London Government (now London Councils) between 2000 and 2006. Currently Robin serves on the Boards of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC). His vision focuses on employment and economic regeneration for Newham.
Duncan Weldon is TUC senior economic policy officer and leads on macroeconomics analysis. Duncan was an economist at the Bank of England and a Partner in a fund management firm as well as having previously worked for the Labour Party and the ITF.
Prof Fred Robinson, St Chad’s College, Durham University. He has recently undertaken research on the challenges facing North East England as a result of the shift from regionalism to localism. His research interests include: issues in urban and regional development; the social impact of economic change in the North East; processes, politics and practice in urban regeneration, regional and local governance; trends in the third sector; and corporate social responsibility.
This seminar will be of interest to trade union officers at national and regional level, business and manufacturing industry concerned with regional economic development, academics and policy formers as well as local government councillors and officers concerned with development and local democracy. Participants will hear from leading figures in this field and be able to engage in discussion with the speakers and each other in an open and frank way. The seminar is intended to bring together diverse people with a common interest in regional development and form the basis of a network for those who wish to continue the dialogue to find ways of influencing government policy in this area
This seminar takes place against the background of the dissolution of the Regional Development Agencies and the creation of Enterprise Zones and Local Enterprise Partnerships, but what do these changes mean for the future of economic development in the regions? How will workers and local industry make their voices heard in the LEPs? Will these changes bring about the economic recovery so desperately needed and what are their implications for local democracy and community involvement?
Please email your intention to attend to Debbie Cleary in the TUC’s Organising and Services Dept at dcleary@tuc.org.uk

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