Northerners ignored on quangos

Londoners 'overrepresented' on quangos

Thursday, 14, Feb 2008 12:00

Londoners are overwhelmingly over-represented on quangos, new research claims.

Analysis by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) found people outside London and the south-east are under-represented on the public-spending bodies, as measured by board membership.

Half of all quango board members live in London and the south-east, compared to two per cent from the north-east, five per cent from the north-west, five per cent from the West Midlands, six per cent from Yorkshire and the Humber, seven per cent from the east Midlands, nine per cent from the south-west and ten per cent from the east of England.

The NLGN claims the results are troubling because quangos, or quasi-autonomous non-government organisations, control 21 per cent of public spending - £123 billion of taxpayers' money.

Author Chris Leslie said the report highlights the scale and power held by quangos, as well as the areas with the greatest sway over this power.

"While London and the counties immediately surrounding it are home to over half of all quango board members, there are in contrast vast swathes of England with apparently no voice on our public bodies," Mr Leslie said.

"We suspect that the poorer the area you live in, the less likely you are to climb to the heights of quango board membership."

The government maintains appointment to quango boards is based entirely on merit.

Of the ten most over-represented areas identified by the report, eight are London boroughs with four - Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and Islington – wielding more power than the entire north of England.

In contrast major cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds are under-represented while around 20 areas including Blackpool and Swindon have failed to produce a single board member.

Lib Dem communities spokeswoman Julia Goldsworthy commented: "Quangos wield enormous power in the UK today. Decisions affecting local communities should be taken as close to those communities as possible, not remotely from London.

She continued: "There is also a worrying accountability gap. These bodies are unelected and unaccountable to the taxpayer for the millions they spend.

"The government must get serious about devolution and give more power to local areas."