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Mini essentials

YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER ASSEMBLY NEWS

An e-news update on our work
October 2008

The long and the short of it

Key decision makers will meet next month in York to discuss the major housing and planning situations facing the region. The focus of the event will be the housing challenges in Yorkshire and Humber, the Government's long and short term strategic issues, and the ongoing review of the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Keynote speakers for the day include:

  • Rosie Winterton MP, Regional Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber on Government’s long term and short term issues
  • Peter Box, Yorkshire and Humber Assembly on the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy
  • Kris Hopkins, Chair, Regional Housing Board on the housing challenges facing the region
  • A speaker from the Milton Keynes Partnership on the lessons this region can learn from experiences from others.

The event will take place in York at the Park Inn Hotel on the afternoon of Thursday 27 November. This is a free event, but places are limited. If you would like to attend, contact events@yhassembly.gov.uk in the first instance.

Transport boost

A package of eight new schemes proposed by the Assembly’s Regional Transport Board has been added to the improvement programme supported from the Regional Funding Allocation (RFA) for Transport.

The current 10-year programme of RFA schemes in the region is based on recommendations from the Board in early 2006. Since that time there has been some slippage of projects in the programme and the Transport Board decided to identify new schemes which could both deliver regional priorities and take up funding which might otherwise be lost.

After assessing bids from across Yorkshire and Humber, the Board recommended eight schemes to the Government in April this year. Most will deliver improvements to public transport but local highway improvements in both Doncaster and North Yorkshire will also be included. The successfully endorsed projects are:

  • York Park and Ride (3 schemes)
  • Yorcard, Full scheme
  • Leeds Station Southern Access
  • East Leeds Parkway
  • A6182 White Rose Way
  • A61 Penistone Road Quality Bus Corridor
  • A684 Bedale, Aiskey, Leeming Bar (BALB)
  • Rotherham to Sheffield Bus Rapid Transit scheme - Northern route

For more details contact Mike Padgett on 01924 331575, or email mike.padgett@yhassembly.gov.uk

Regional Scrutiny – Investment Planning

Following engagement with over 50 regional, private, voluntary and public organisations, the Scrutiny Board are now drawing up the emerging findings that the impact of Investment Planning has had in the region and what lessons need to be learnt for the move to Geographic programmes.

The recommendations will play a big part in shaping the transitional arrangements from Sub-regional Investment Planning to Geographic Programmes over the coming year.

The Scrutiny Board would like to test their findings and between 12-25 November. You can give your input online at www.yhassembly.gov.uk. You can also contact the Scrutiny Team at the Assembly: scrutiny@yhassembly.gov.uk or phone 01924 331555.

Funding to support Sustainable Development

Funding to help Yorkshire and Humber consider how best to develop proposals to deliver a credible, effective and independent SD Champion Body has been won by a partnership led by the Assembly.

As part of reforms set out in the Sub-National Review of Economic Regeneration and Development (SNR), a key issue is the need to integrate sustainable development principles within the emerging Single Integrated Regional Strategy.

Developing this work will involve a mixture of online consultation, telephone interviews, workshops and the production of a sustainable development 'knowledge map' to capture expertise against the ten regional IRF challenges.

After winning funding from DEFRA, consultants Ursus were selected to carry out the work, and deliver a number of key outputs up to 31 March 2009.

Other partners involved in the work are the Assembly’s Sustainable Development Board, Yorkshire Forward, Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, Environment Agency and Local Government Yorkshire and Humber.

For more information contact Andy Horrocks on 10924 331566; email andy.horrocks@yhassembly.gov.uk, or Jatinder Singh Mehmi, 01924 331 574, email jatinder.singhmehmi@yhassembly.gov.uk

LSP Ecological Footprinting report launched

A report has been published summarising the work carried out with Local Strategic Partnerships in using ecological and carbon footprinting.

The aim of the project was to assist Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and Local Authorities in applying ecological and carbon footprinting techniques to:

  • develop strategies and action plans
  • communicate this information to stakeholders
  • Provide support and training
  • Draw on existing footprinting methodologies, notably REAP – the Resource and Energy Analysis Program developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

Nine LSP’s throughout the region took part in the study, including Leeds, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Kingston upon Hull, Rotherham, Scarborough, North Lincolnshire and East Riding. The work was funded by Defra and Yorkshire Forward and overseen by the Sustainable Development Board.

The Assembly, in conjunction with Yorkshire Forward, are planning to hold a series of workshops in February 2009 to disseminate the findings of the work, and provide training in the use of ecological and carbon footprinting.

Further details on the workshops will available toward the end of the year. A copy of the report can be obtained from the Assembly website, www.yhassembly.gov.uk. For more details contact Jatinder Singh Mehmi, 01924 331 574, email jatinder.singhmehmi@yhassembly.gov.uk

Spatial Options – RSS 2009 Update

The Yorkshire and Humber Assembly will be launching the next stage of the Regional Spatial Strategy 2009 Update next month. The Spatial Options will look at the scale and distribution of housing provision across the Region and accommodating growth in the RSS sub-areas.

Consultation will begin on the 10 November and run through to the end of January. The consultation is open to everyone in the Region including elected members and the general public. The evidence base work that has informed the Spatial Options and the consultation document will be on the Assembly's website www.yhassembly.gov.uk

Four events are being held during November to discuss and debate the Spatial Options. Assembly officers will also be meeting with various forums and organisations during the consultation to gather their views.

For more information about the RSS 2009 Update please contact Harriet Fisher by phoning 01924 331 597 or emailing harriet.fisher@yhassembly.gov.uk.

Strategic Planning Applications and Development Plan Documents

As part of its role as a statutory consultee on strategic planning applications, the Assembly is asked by the region's local authorities to comment on specific developments and how they fit in with the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Link to applications commented on this month

The Assembly also comments on Development Plan Documents that are being prepared across the region.

Link to Development Plan Documents the Assembly has received for consultation this month.

For more details on the role of the Assembly in commenting on applications and Development Plan Documents contact Andy Haigh on 01924 331601; email andy.haigh@yhassembly.gov.uk

Dates for the Diary

  • Regional Executive Board meeting – 6 November, Wakefield
  • RSS 2009 Consultation Workshops – 11, 13, 18, 20 November (various venues in the region)
  • The Long and the Short of It – 27 November, York