Regional Economic Forum

The National Economic Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, will coordinate economic policies across Government; the Regional Economic Council will involve Regional Ministers, Regional Development Agency chairs and other relevant groups and will ensure that the issues and concerns of each region are heard and acted on across Government; and the Council of Regional Ministers will identify common issues from across the regions and take action where appropriate, including making recommendations to the National Economic Council and the Regional Economic Council.

What is the Regional Economic Forum (REF)?
The REF is a made up of key regional bodies, who will meet on a monthly basis to take a collective, strategic perspective on regional economic issues, and establish ways of joining up efforts to speed up the response to economic, employment, financial and housing challenges in the region.

The Forum will also feed back information to the National and Regional Economic Councils and Council of Regional Ministers and advise them on particular issues facing the East of England, and some of the measures put in place to tackle regional challenges

Why has it been set up?
To ensure an effective regional response to the challenging economic conditions which currently face us in the East of England.

The objectives of the Forum are to:

• review information and intelligence on the economic and social impacts of the changing economic circumstances
• agree measures to respond to these impacts
• review regional response, and look at opportunities to push forward existing and planned infrastructure projects which would benefit the regional economy.

How will it work in the East of England?
In this region the REF will meet monthly, and travel around the region. The outputs from each meeting will be placed here within a week of the meeting.