independent Cornish news and comment

Cornwall Under-Represented in Government Quangos

The release of the New Local Government Network’s publication ‘You’ve been Quango’d: Mapping Power Across the Regions’ has added more evidence to the view that Cornwall’s citizens are not adequately represented at the national level. Quangos (Quasi-non-governmental organisations) are used by Government Departments to undertake delegated functions outside the political realm. Public Bodies currently spend £123 billion of public money, the equivalent of 9.3% of GDP.


The report shows evidence that London and the South East is overly represented in non-departmental public bodies. Cornwall was noted as one of the ten ‘barely represented’ areas in the whole country.[2] <#_ftn2>

Colin Breed, Liberal Democrat MP for South East Cornwall said:

“Once again, the needs of Cornish people are playing second fiddle to those of the capital. The Government often relies on these public bodies to recommend policy. We have seen time and time again what happens when the Government tries to implement policies that work in the major cities, into rural areas like South East Cornwall.

I call upon the Government to take heed of this report and create bodies that represent the needs of the country as a whole, not just London and the South East.”

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the New Local Government Network’s website <http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/youve-been-quangod.pdf> .