England’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), including the South West RDA, are due to be abolished by March 2012. The RDAs have now published a joint Q & A answering important questions about arrangements until then.

Click here to read the full Q&A. The following is a selection of answers from the Q & A, containing the most relevant information for the voluntary and community sector in Cornwall: -

Q. What is the very latest position on the future of RDAs?
A.  Ministers have confirmed their intention to abolish RDAs and support the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), to be in place by March 2012 at the latest.  They have also indicated that some of the RDAs’ current functions will continue at a national, rather than local level.
The Government has stated that a White Paper will be published in the autumn which will give greater detail and, we expect, clarify a number of issues – such as which work will be carried out locally, which nationally and which not at all.
Local Authorities and business leaders now have the opportunity to propose where and how LEPs should be created, and we believe it is important that both should have a strong voice in creating these future arrangements.

Q.  When are you going to be abolished?
A.  We understand that all RDAs will be abolished by March 2012. We are now working with Government and partners to support a smooth transition to new arrangements, including the formation of LEPs. In the meantime we have an important investment programme to continue delivering across England which will create more jobs, more competitive businesses and stronger sectors at a critical time for the economy.

Q.  How much money is being cut from RDA budgets this year?
A.  RDAs were asked to find £270 million of cuts to their projects and programmes as part of the £6.2 billion reduction in public spending for 2010/11 announced by the Chancellor in May.  This was in addition to the £300 million reductions asked of RDAs last year covering the two years from 2009 to 2011.
The Secretary of State has confirmed that some regions – East Midlands, South East, East and South West – will bear a greater proportion of these reductions relative to their original budgets.
Now this detail has been confirmed, all RDAs are pressing ahead in talking to partners to implement these cuts as soon as possible.  We will need to agree where the reductions will need to take place, and how projects will be affected, while looking to minimise the impact on our partners through this difficult period of transition as best we can.
In most cases this will involve delaying work, scaling back, or stopping projects altogether.  However as the vast majority of our programme funding is already allocated and committed, and especially as the cuts are needed this year, some RDAs will need to look again at  existing contractual commitments. 

Q.  Will all RDA work go to LEPs?
A.  No, a recent letter sent to local authorities and business leaders, from the Secretaries of State for BIS and CLG, outlines a range of functions which LEPs may take on, while other RDA functions may be lead in future at a national level.  Also some RDA functions will no longer continue, such as regional strategy work.

All England’s existing anti-discrimination law, including the Equal Pay Act and Disability Discrimination Act, has been consolidated and strengthened into one piece of legislation, the Equality Act 2010.

The new laws came into force earlier this year, and shouldn’t be ignored by voluntary and community organisations, as they do include some new provisions.

In a concise and clear new publication for the voluntary sector, the Government Equalities Office advises,

“Voluntary and community organisations that already have good equality procedures in place will not need to take much further action. However, it will be wise to:

•             Inform your staff and management committee of the new provisions,

•             Review your equality policies and make sure that they cover all relevant protected characteristics, and

•             Consider whether your staff need any further training.

You may also wish to consider whether there are any groups that are not as well represented among your service users as they should be, and if so consider whether you could use positive action to encourage them to use your organisation more.”

According to the guide, some charities will now have to do more to justify their objectives,

“Charities benefiting only people of the same racial group, religion or belief, or sexual orientation must now show that this is intended to meet a legitimate objective in a fair, balanced and reasonable way or that it is positive action as well as being in line with their charitable instrument. There is also now an exception along these lines for charities benefiting only people with the same disability.”

Key changes have also been made in areas relating to positive action and victimisation, and in areas related to disability and gender reassignment.

The National Association of Local Councils has launched a guide for people wanting to create a new local council at www.createacouncil.org.uk.

Entitled Power to the People, it gives advice on how to start a local parish, town, community, neighbourhood or village council to improve community wellbeing and provide local services.

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