All RDAs across England are closing by March 2012
(see transition and closure section).
With our resources reducing steadily, this page has not been recently updated and the information below may not be current.
If in doubt, please contact us directly.
National statement on future of RDAs following the Budget
Yesterday's Budget confirmed the Government’s intention to
replace RDAs, and to encourage the development of Local Enterprise
Partnerships (LEPs), and that this process will begin with a White
Paper to be published later in the summer.
We understand the White Paper will address detailed issues, such
as the mechanism for creating LEPs, how their boundaries will be
decided and the respective roles for local authorities and
business. There is also the question of which economic development
functions currently undertaken by the RDA Network will be led at
national level in future.
In the transition to new arrangements, RDAs’ responsibility is
clear - to support and help government deliver their objectives.
The RDA Network accepts change is coming and we are ready for it.
We are committed to ensuring as smooth a transition as possible.
For us, it is the work (and the expertise that underpins it) that
matters, more than the institutional arrangements – vital work at
such a critical time for the national economy.
It is clear that funding available for economic development work
will be more limited in coming years given the need to tackle the
public deficit. We will do our best to minimise adverse impacts
where we can, working with partners who have until now looked to us
for investment support and know-how.
This will also be an unsettling time for our staff. We will work
to ensure they are properly supported through such a significant
time of change.
Whatever the detail of future arrangements, the challenge
remains to help create stronger, more sustainable and balanced
economies in each part of the country and to deliver growth – new
jobs, new businesses, new industries – to help the recovery of our
national economy. It is crucial that England is globally
competitive into the future, particularly in key sectors such as
advanced manufacturing and the low carbon technologies. Throughout
this transition period, we will continue to make the best use of
our resources, our expertise and our experience to help secure
these goals.