After my note below on Preston Vision I was reading about the vision and the North West Development Agency when another group came into focus. They are 4NW. A cliche ridden name, can’t say I’d heard of it before. This is what they do:
‘4NW is the Regional Leaders Forum for the northwest of England. 4NW places public, private and third sector stakeholders at the heart of decisions that shape the future of the northwest, its people and places.’
Apparently this replaces the North West Regional Authority that was to have devolved powers prior to it being axed. They have produced a Regional Spatial Strategy. An interesting term, ‘spatial’; relating to space.
Other stuff they have about the region. Like in 2007 the North West was the 7th in terms of value added per head out of 12 regions in the UK having overtaken the West Midlands in 2005 and even gaining a bit on the South East but still 30% worse, London being 30% wealthier than the South East. Interesting to see the 2009 London figures, gross value lost might become the norm.
Quite a bit to look at although a bit blue sky, nice looking website though. http://www.4nw.org.uk/