'No' vote is positive for North-East RDA

The rejection of an elected assembly in the North-East is a severe blow to the Government's devolution plans, but it offers regional development agency One North East the chance to prove its worth, says Heather Hancock. Last week's 'no' vote to devolution in the North-East referendum clearly has significant implications for the future direction of regeneration activity in the region, especially for the regional development agency (RDA). In the short term, it must be better to have clarity about responsibilities for planning and funding economic development and regeneration activity in the region.