FAQs

• Who set the boundaries for the South West region?
• What is the legal position of subscriptions?
• How is the expenditure audited?
• What is the structure and the relationship with the Secretariat?
• What is the legal status of the organisation?
• What organisations are supported by the Secretariat?

• Who set the boundaries for the South West region?
  

  Broadly speaking (bearing in mind the Local Government Review in 1974) the current boundaries of the 'South West region' have been in use for many decades, certainly since the Second World War. When the regional network of Government Offices were created in 1994, they adhered to the same boundaries. In December 1997, the Government published its White Paper ‘Building Partnerships for Prosperity’. This proposed that Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) be created to promote each English region and ensure their economic success. The RDAs conformed to the boundaries already in use. The White Paper then proposed that regional chambers (now known as Assemblies) should be formed to represent the people of the region and to monitor and scrutinise the work of the regional development agency. The boundaries of the Chamber were co-terminous with the RDA boundaries.

• What is the legal position of subscriptions?
  

  In terms of the legality of local authorities funding the work of South West Leaders, South West Employers and the South West Councils (and previously the Regional Assembly), Members and Officers have considered this issue and concluded that it continues to be appropriate under the Local Government Act.

  The question of the legality of the subscriptions has been raised by a member of the public with the District Auditor for Devon County Council, Mr Alun Williams. In his response the auditor stated that: "Local councils can now rely on Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, which gives a local authority power - the well-being power - to do anything which it considers is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, social and/or environmental well-being of its area". In reference to the subscription to the Assembly work in particular he concluded "the contribution (to the SWRA) is in my view lawful and as it (the organisation) has statutory powers and duties it is able to use the subscriptions received to pay for staff, premises etc".

• How is the expenditure audited?
  

  All the work of the South West Secretariat is subject to external audit; the Department of Communities & Local Government (CLG) also carries out audits.
  The CLG applies the same rigorous audit standards to us as they do to the other voluntary and public sector bodies they fund.
  An audit by CLG found the financial system a model of good practice, containing all the necessary checks and balances.

• What is the structure and the relationship with the Secretariat?
  

  The status, structure and employment protocols of the South West Secretariat and its Board have been considered and approved by the all Member organisations supported by the South West Secretariat.  The merger was approved by Members because it provided economies of scale in administration of regional work and, therefore, minimised the need for public funding whilst maximising the ability to deliver. Central Government is content with the structure of the Combined Secretariat and the arrangements for the Board, and consequently is prepared to pay grant funding for its activity both from the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Home Office. It is an unincorporated Association, whose business is managed through the South West Regional Board. The South West Employers is registered as an employer’s association and is the association registered under Section 122 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

• What is the legal status of the organisation?
  

  The South West Secretariat is run by its elected Members from the three organisations: South West Leaders, South West Councils and South West Employers via the South West Regional Board or 'Resources and Management Committee' (RMC).

  The constitutions of the South West Resource and Management Committee is available here.

• What organisations are supported by the Secretariat?
  

  The South West Secretariat is a small group of staff based in Taunton
  
  The officers provide support for the work of four Member-led organisations: South West Leaders; South West Employers; South West Councils and the Improvement & Efficiency Partnership. 

  For more information, click here.