Abolish failing East of England Development Agency
8th August 2008
Following a report published today which identifies failings at the East of England Development Agency, Anne Main has called upon the Government to abolish this unelected Government Quango.
Following a report published today which identifies failings at the East of England Development Agency, Anne Main, MP for St Albans, has called upon the Government to abolish this unelected Government Quango.
The report, published by the Taxpayer's Alliance, shows that since 1999, England's nine Regional Development Agencies have cost taxpayers £15 billion, equivalent to nearly £600 for every household, and yet analysis of regional economic performance shows no improvement - and even a slowing - in regional performance since RDAs were created.
Anne said:
"This report further undermines the argument that this unelected Government Quango should be allowed to manage the development and regeneration budget for our area. The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is unelected and unaccountable, but every year it is given a huge amount of our money and it is not delivering its objectives.
I have never believed that the Regional Development Agencies are the best framework for delivering regeneration and development funding - they are too distant from local people, and duplicate central government administration at considerable expense.
It should be for local people to make decisions which affect our community, rather than these faceless Government bureaucrats on huge salaries. Regional Development Agencies are a huge waste of money and they should be abolished.""
