I thought the North East said “No” to the North East Regional Assembly?
Aye, they said ‘no’ to an elected regional assembly, but it still exists, illegitimate, unwanted and unaccountable. If there’s any doubt that it exists, just take a look in the Guardian Society jobs pages today and you’ll find an ad for the North East Assembly which conveniently doubles up as our non-job of the week.
The more I research and experience local government, the more I find the governmental structure to be all over the place. District and County councils have strategies. The government’s regional assemblies and development corporations have ‘strategies’. Lines of authority overlap to the extent where you have to have an incredibly sharp eye to keep track with who has competence over what and which authority is responsible for any one policy area.
This, perhaps, is just one of the reasons why taxpayers in the North East said no to an elected regional assembly. Unsurprisingly, the government still carried on with a regional assembly nonetheless.
So, for your displeasure, our non-jobs of the week come from a non-body still burning your money:
“Policy Officers
(2 temporary posts, open to secondments), SCP 26 - 36: £21,411 - £28,920
The North East Assembly shapes the future development of the region by setting the strategic framework for planning, housing, transport and sustainable development, and for ensuring the regional development agency, is accountable to the region.
The North East Assembly has vacancies for two policy officers that we would like to fill as soon as possible. As part of the team responsible for taking forward the regional spatial strategy, or for the team responsible for scrutiny and policy development around the regional economic strategy, the two temporary posts offer the opportunity to work across a number of policy areas and with a range of stakeholders. The posts are open to secondments and provide an opportunity to gain invaluable experience of governance at a regional level during a time of change.
With experience of policy work, and with planning skills and/or social research skills, you will be able to demonstrate achievement in analysis and interpretation coupled with an excellent understanding of regional and national policies and strategies.
You can download an application package from our web site at http://www.northeastassembly.gov.uk/vacancies. For an informal discussion, please contact Phil Jones, planning manager, or Nicola Boyne, scrutiny manager, on 0845 673 3343.
Closing date: 26 March 2008.
We are an equal opportunities employer, and all applications will be considered solely on merit.”