P146 CEEFAX 146 Thu 4 Nov 21:18/27 1/3 COMMONS SHAKE-UP GIVES REGIONAL POWER BOOST Environment Secretary John Gummju has announced radical new measures which will transfer power from Whitehall to local communities. He said the £1.4 billion plan would involve six Go6junmjnt departments and combine 20 separate programmjs. Priorities will bj set locally in the light of local needs and not in Whitehall, Mr Gummjr told MPs. The new plan covers the Departments of Environment, Trade and Industry, Transport, Education, Employment (5 and the Home Office. --,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,. Next News Politics Main News TopTravelP146 CEJFAX 146 Thu 4 Nov 21:14/42 2/3 COMMONS PROPOSALS TO ENHANCE LOCAL NEEDS A "more comprehensive and accessible service" will bj gained from the transfer of power to local communities, MPs have been told. Environment Secretary John Gummjr said the changes would bring services closer to the people they sjrvj, simplify the Govjrnmjnt machine and improve value for money A new single budget will be established for "regeneration and development", and the changes will conj into effect next April. ] Home 110 Flash 150 Diary 180 Politics 130 World 160 Dispatch 190 Next News Politics Main News TopTravelP146 CJEFAX 146 Thu 4 Nov 21:12/02 3/3 COMMONS CAUTIOUS WELCOME TO GUMMER MEASURES The boost to regional power highlights the "democratic deficit" which undermines the whole democratic system, Labour has said. However, environment spokesman Jack Straw welcomed "any measures which improve the relationship between central and local govjrnmjnt". "+e and Labour councils will stri6j hard to ensure that the3j work." But hj said councils were "right to bj highly scepticalb after 14 years in which one power after another had been removed from them. --,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,. Next News Politics Main News TopTravel