Merge all the regional development agencies

I doubt whether this report will go down well in the Northern capitals of Leeds and Manchester but the Centre for cities wants to merge all the northern regional development agencies into one body.

The rational being that emphasis will be placed on those regions that are not performing so well.

The report states that

During the first seven years of the RDAs existence (1999 to 2006), the Greater South East economy grew by nearly 18%[1], whereas the rest of England's economy grew by just 15% - and the growth gap looks set to continue over the next decade.

It proposes a

A Northern Development Agency, from 2011, to replace the current three Northern RDAs. Cities like Liverpool and Sunderland would benefit from being part of a unified "Northern" brand, rather than three separate RDAs.

saying that the agency would be more strategic and build

better links between the two biggest Northern city-regions, Greater Manchester and Leeds City Region - and create more space for them to take on more powers and deliver housing, transport and jobs.