The SEERA

A European Union Regional Assembly is even less wanted, if that is possible, in the South-East than in the North-East, where voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea last year. Yet Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's fantasy is being played out, with three months "public consultation" on the "South-East plan" about to begin.

Publicity leaflets have been "cascaded" (or as some say, "posted") to councils, accompanied by a letter from the South-East England Regional Assembly chief executive, Paul Bevan.

He writes: "The community involvement provisions of Planning Policy Statement II naturally apply as much to the sub-regional dimension as to the regional policies of the Plan. We are anticipating therefore that in facilitating the region-wide consultation locally, the relevant local authorities will also take responsibility for consulting on sub-regional policies applying to their areas, thus providing public input to the continuing sub-regional policy work...." The South-East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) will almost certainly never come about, but Bevan's bid for the 2005 Rotten Boroughs' Plain English award looks strong.

I ask, is there anyone out there who can understand this gobbledegook? In its first year of existence the SEERA cost £2 million; last year £3 million and the budget for this year is £4 million. Paid for - you've guessed it - by our local and income taxes. With the Conservatives and the UKIP promising to abolish useless bodies like the SEERA, no prizes for guessing who Mr. Bevan and the thousands of other non-job holders will be voting for at the general election.
Private Eye, 21st January 2005