Regional governance and place-shaping – an evolving tripartite relationship

The contemporary ethos of governance in England largely stems from Conservative policy developments between 1979 and 1997. Through a wholesale process of privatisation and public sector rationalisation, a ‘business-like’ approach saw the transfer of local authority funding powers to centrally-appointed quangos (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations). Local authorities were effectively sidelined during this period as the Thatcherite distaste for public sector led intervention in all forms presided. However, since the 1990s some genuine attempts have been made at ‘holistic’ regeneration, spatial planning and place-shaping, involving partnership coalitions of public, private, and voluntary and community stakeholders, which have been carried forward by New Labour. Whether these attempts were born out of democratic ideology or economic necessity remains unclear. This article examines the origins and evolution of the tripartite relationship at the regional tier of governance between Regional Assemblies (RAs), Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and Government Offices for the English Regions (GOs), in terms of regeneration, spatial planning and place-shaping.