Explanatory note

Part 5 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 establishes a new regional strategy for each region in England, outside Greater London, setting out policies in relation to sustainable economic growth and in relation to development and land use in the region. The regional strategy is kept under review and revised from time to time by the responsible regional authorities (‘RRA), which comprise the Leaders’ Board for the region and the Regional Development Agency. These Regulations set out requirements in relation to revision of the regional strategy by the RRA.

The Regulations deal with the bodies to be consulted by the RRA in drawing up their statement of community involvement as required under section 75 of the Act (regulation 3). They provide for a project plan to be drawn up by the RRA when they undertake revision of regional strategy, and set out the key stages to be included in the plan. The project plan, and any revisions to it, are to be published, agreed with the Secretary of State and complied with (regulation 4). The Regulations specify the period of twelve months beginning on 1st April in each year as that for which annual monitoring reports are to be prepared and 28th February as the date for submission of the previous year’s monitoring report (regulation 5).

Regulation 6 applies Part 5A of the Local Government Act 1972 (access to meetings and documents of certain authorities, committees and sub-committees) to meetings and documents of the Leaders’ Board where it is acting alone and not as the RRA with the Regional Development Agency. Some modifications are made to those provisions and to Schedule 12A to that Act for the purposes of their application to Leaders’ Boards.

Regulation 7 provides that the New Forest National Park is treated as falling wholly within the South East region, the North York Moors National Park and the Yorkshire Dales National Park are treated as falling wholly within the Yorkshire and the Humber region and that the Peak District National Park is treated as falling wholly within the East Midlands region.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen. The impact on the public sector is minimal.