Forest MPs Call For Regional Assembly to be Scrapped

The two New Forest MPs, Julian Lewis and Desmond Swayne, have called for Government plans for a referendum in the South East for an elected Regional assembly to be scrapped. This follows the people of the North East voting 'no' in their referendum for a Regional Assembly by a margin of almost 500,000; 78% voted 'no', while only 22% voted 'yes'.

The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) is not directly elected but is made up of officials, councillors, 'community stakeholders', and numerous committees. The region covers an area from the New Forest to Kent and up to Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes and is based in Guildford.

In a joint statement the two MPs said: "People want action to deliver cleaner hospitals, lower taxes, school discipline, more police and controlled immigration. The North East referendum result shows that people think a Regional Assembly means just one thing - more talk and higher taxes.

"This vote shows that people do not want an expensive extra layer of regional government. Regional Assemblies take power from existing local councils and local people, such as over housing, planning and local transport. They are less democratic and more remote. The existing unelected Regional assembly is an expensive talking shop which should be shut down, and the money saved should be spent on frontline, like cleaner streets.

"The next Conservative Government will scrap the Assemblies, abolish regional planning and implement real decentralisation, restoring power to local people away from Whitehall and its regional quangos. We will give more power and control to people who really know what is best for themselves, their families and their local communities."

[released 8th November 2004]