NB:

I can't speak for the facts or conclusions, but it seems worth sharing:

Regional Development Agencies should be abolished

'The failure of the Regional Development Agencies is a symptom of the severely flawed policy of government by quango. Hiving out responsibilities previously controlled by more accountable bodies to these unaccountable backroom offices, and drawing activities previously left to private business and civil society into a bureaucratic quagmire is a sure recipe for failure... there is no clear chain of responsibility, no real transparency and practically zero accountability. Far from representing power being devolved to local people or groups, they are simply central government agencies with regional names.

And so...

TPA - NEW - The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies