Councillors demand that NSRP replaced by cross-county partnership
LEAFY South Cheshire should be included in multi-million pound plans to regenerate North Staffordshire.
Senior councillors in Newcastle have called for a North Staffordshire and Cheshire East Partnership to be created to transform the region.
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Simon Tagg
They want it to replace the beleaguered North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership (NSRP).
Newcastle Borough Council's cabinet says the new group, which would also include Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, would better reflect the economic reality of the area.
The borough council has drawn up five options for the future of regeneration after signalling its intention to leave the NSRP.
Its leader, Conservative Councillor Simon Tagg, pictured, said: "I feel the NSRP has served its purpose and lost its way.
"We need a better way of regenerating North Staffordshire.
"Operating independently is not really an option.
"We need to work with partners – not just Stoke-on-Trent, but Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire County Council and Cheshire East."
Mr Tagg said a Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Partnership is favoured by the county council, but not based on "economic realities".
He added: "A North Staffordshire and Cheshire East partnership is the preferred option.
"It would have a population of 750,000, which would make us a key player in the region.
"Negotiations will continue into the autumn.
"We want to get the best deal for Newcastle, making the most of regeneration opportunities with better delivery than under the previous arrangement."
The Government wants to introduce a framework of Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) across the country.
They would have equal public and private sector representation, and aim to provide strategic leadership in their areas.
The Government believes LEPs should reflect natural economic areas, rather than traditional administrative boundaries.
Lib Dem Councillor David Becket, portfolio holder for environment and recycling, said: "In the past we haven't been allowed to cross regional boundaries, but it is essential we do.
"The business community says there is a strong connection with Cheshire East, so that is the option we should be pushing."
Council chief executive Mark Barrow said the authority should still seek to work with its partners in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire, regardless of the make-up of the LEPs.
He added: "The Government is not giving us much information about the LEPs, and we're reluctant to ask for more in case it means more constraints.
"The important thing is that we have the right people around the table."
North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryan Carnes said: "This arrangement should be based on an economic area, a travel-to-work area, and Crewe and Congleton certainly have strong links with North Staffordshire."
Cheshire East Council said it was aware of the discussions.
A spokesman added: "No decisions have been made by any of these authorities at this early stage."
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2 Comments
by Lazarus, North Staffs
Thursday, July 22 2010, 3:41PM
“Any group should exclude the foetid mess that Stoke City Council brings to the table, and really it is rich that Rag Tagg and Bobtail traipse in with the suggestion that we look towards Cheshire for regeneration, we missed that boat years ago in Newcastle as a result of the sad governance we had with a Labour Council and a weak opposition, which now finds itself in power, not by intuitive governance but by further Labour Party ineptitude and shallow leadership based on image rather than substance. Thus arriving at this point with still a lack of vision we were here at this point in 2000 and we have not moved on its sad really. Newcastle leaderless and adrift still, and still very much in the mode of image and little substance, achieving not a lot, but not suffering from the same PR problems that Stoke is, YET???...”
by Paul, Trentham
Thursday, July 22 2010, 2:15PM
“NSRP has served it's purpose?
It may have fulfilled the last letter in it's title - P for Partnership.
It's certainly not fulfillled the the first three letters - NSR for North Staffordshire Regeneration.”