COUNCIL and business leaders have written to the new coalition Government proposing how they will work together to secure the region’s economic future.

The Association of North East Councils (ANEC) and Northern Business Forum (NBF) have proposed the formation of a body to take on many of the roles currently filled by regional development agency (RDA), One North East.

Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have previously called for RDAs to be scrapped or revamped.

However, although RDAs have proved unpopular elsewhere in the country, business and community leaders in this region have repeatedly spoken out in support of One North East.

While the coalition Government is still to make a decision on their future, the letter hopes to find a way forward that would see the continuation of at least some of the agency’s work.

The letter was sent yesterday (MON) to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, Business Secretary Vince Cable and Greg Clark, Minister for Decentralisation.

It was signed by Councillor Paul Watson, chair of ANEC, on behalf of all 12 North-East councils, and John Cuthbert, chair of NBF, on behalf of companies and organisations such as BT, the North East Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.

After congratulating the three ministers on their appointment, it stated that the North-East was committed to playing a pivotal role in helping secure sustainable economic growth.

It added: “(We) believe the strong and robust collaboration between the public and the private sectors, and our vision and ambition for the area enables and equips us uniquely to adopt an approach that can really deliver for UK Plc, that can serve us well into the recovery and beyond, is cost effective and will deliver more for less.

“With this as a key driver, our shared proposal is for one focused and strategic economic body.”