ABSTRACT
National and regional questions have been a long-established feature of United Kingdom political life. The change of Government in 1997 sparked a real concern about how, in the process of modernising the institutions of the state, 'joined up government' at the local and regional level could be made a reality. The Government's 'Modernising Government' programme recognises a need for more joined up government at the regional level. In policy terms the waters have been further muddied by the emergence of an alternative to the Regional Development Agencie/Assembly-based regional agenda. The Local Government Association (LGA) report makes the point that public acceptance of regions is a key component in the success of changes to present regional arrangements, and that without democratic legitimacy they are bound to fail. Interestingly the conference at which this report was launched was addressed both by the LGA Chief Executive and the Local Government and Regions minister Hilary Armstrong.
