The document presents a shared vision for the region and maps out the direction that the region needs to take in order to create a better quality of life for everyone who lives here – now and into the future.
It aims to put sustainable development at the heart of all regional strategies, plans and policies, and provides a practical appraisal tool to help decision makers check that they are making a coherent and positive contribution towards sustainability.
The IRF points out that the top ten key areas that the region should be concerned with are:
- strengthening the economy
- adapting to and mitigating against climate change
- living within environmental limits
- developing a more sustainable employment market in the North East
- establishing a strong learning and skills base
- improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities
- protecting and enhancing the environment
- building sustainable communities
- developing sustainable transport
- promoting and respecting the region’s culture and heritage.
First published back in 2004, the framework has been central to key regional strategies ever since. Now, following changes to regional and national policy this new revised version has been produced to ensure that the region stays focussed on sustainability until the new integrated regional strategy (IRS) is launched.
Wyn Jones, Chair of Sustaine, said: “Sustainable development means working together to achieve the best possible quality of life for the people of the region, now and in the future, while taking responsibility for our decisions and actions and considering the effects those actions will have regionally, nationally and globally.
“It is essential that the principles of sustainable development are at the heart of a new integrated regional strategy, which will be developed in line with the Government’s own sustainable development agenda and the IRF is a stepping stone towards this.”
Margaret Fay, Chair of One NorthEast, said: “The Integrated Regional Framework will form an important part of input into the development of a single, integrated regional strategy as proposed in the Government’s Sub National Review of Economic Development.”
Alex Watson, Chair of the North East Assembly, said: “This review of our Integrated Regional Framework is a valuable achievement and I'm delighted that the North East Assembly has played its part in working with Sustaine and other regional partners to make it happen.
“The framework will be valuable in setting the direction for our region to achieve truly sustainable development and will play an important role in informing the future integrated strategy for the North East.”
Councillor Mick Henry, chair of the Association of North East Councils, said: “We welcome the move to place sustainable development at the heart of the Integrated Regional Framework.
“We are committed to working with partners to create a more sustainable future and to improving the lives of the people of the North East.”
Jonathan Blackie, Regional Director, Government Office for the North East, said: “I am pleased to support our region’s revised Integrated Regional Framework, which clearly identifies the key challenges we face in developing our region and our lifestyles in a sustainable way.
“The policies and choices that we make now will have long lasting and far reaching effects. We must make the right choices and live more sustainably if we are to ensure a better quality of life for ourselves and future generations. It is clear that it is not only what we do, but how we do it that will determine whether we secure a more sustainable future for the North East.
“This document provides the framework to guide our strategies, plans and programmes to secure sustainable development. In the future we will have a single integrated strategy for our region and it is important that the principles in our Integrated Regional Framework are also embedded in the single strategy.
Sustaine will be hosting a series of workshops to launch the IRF. For more information contact Eva Diran on 0191 497 8460 or visit www.sustaine.com
