Looking Back in Order to Move Forward: The Politics of Evolving Sub-National Economic Policy Architecture

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Notes

¹ A coalition agreement to govern the UK was struck between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in May 2010.

² RDAs have received funding through a Single Programme budget (known as the ‘single pot’) since April 2002.

³ The present sponsor for RDAs is the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

⁴ One only has to take a glance at each of the nine RDAs’ corporate plans, investment priorities and plethora of strategies, to appreciate that they have an extensive remit, but, arguably of more interest, is each RDAs spatially-flavoured economic development approach. Some have prioritised place quality enhancements and physical regeneration, whilst others have looked to innovation or enterprise, which is reflected in the organisational structures of each RDA, with some opting to utilise local delivery partners more than others.

⁵ At the time of writing in September 2010, it is anticipated that some activities, such as inward investment, innovation and business support, will be ‘led’ nationally, however, it remains to be seen whether implementation would be led from a single national base.

⁶ The letter is available at: http://centreforcities.typepad.com/centre_for_cities/2010/06/cablepickles-letter-on-local-enterprise-partnerships.html (accessed 2 July 2010).

⁷ See Pugalis (2009c) for an analysis of the evolving relationship between these tripartite regional bodies.