Progress Through Partnership

East Midlands Regional Assembly

With 26 local authorities bidding for unitary status, the arguments for fewer, rather than more, tiers of government seem to have been recognised. But regional assemblies are proving their worth in ensuring that councils don’t work in isolation, or take decisions which ignore what’s going on around them.The East Midlands Regional Assembly - or EMRA - is one of 8 in England outside London, and it’s showing that - rather then taking powers away from local authorities - it’s adding value, as Sarah Lockett reports.