This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7243987.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
London 'dominates quango boards' London 'dominates quango boards'
(about 8 hours later)
By Laura Kuenssberg BBC News political correspondent The members of quangos responsible for nearly a quarter of all public spending are "grotesquely unrepresentative" of England, a think-tank says.
Quangos are responsible for nearly a quarter of all public spending, but new research seen by the BBC suggests that their membership is "grotesquely unrepresentative" of England as a whole, with vast swathes of the country not represented at all. The New Local Government Network found that more quango members live in four London boroughs than the whole of the North of England.
Blackpool is entirely unrepresented, says the reportThe research, by the New Local Government Network, reveals that four London boroughs alone have greater influence than the whole of the North of England. It says quangos are responsible for spending more than £123bn a year.
Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and Islington are the most powerful, it says. The government says that people appointed to quango boards are chosen on merit alone.
The NLGN has analysed 1,000 board members of quangos, which they say are responsible for spending more than £120bn of government money, and found that over half live in London and the south-east of England. We suspect that the poorer the area you live in, the less likely you are to climb to the heights of quango board membership Chris LeslieReport author
Many major cities outside the South East, such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds, are under-represented. The New Local Government Network looked at 1,000 quango members and found that over half live in London and the south-east of England.
Many major cities outside the South East, such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds, are under-represented, it says.
And about 20 areas, for example Blackpool and Swindon, are not represented at all.And about 20 areas, for example Blackpool and Swindon, are not represented at all.
Quangos are bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Student Loans Company, that are run at arm's-length from central government, although they receive and spend taxpayers' money. Quangos are bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Student Loans Company, that are run at arms-length from central government, although they receive and spend taxpayers' money.
Their combined spending power of £123bn makes up nearly a quarter of all public cash.
'Utterly unaccountable''Utterly unaccountable'
The report's author Chris Leslie said: "This highlights the scale and power held by quangos and the areas of the country who have the greatest sway over this power.The report's author Chris Leslie said: "This highlights the scale and power held by quangos and the areas of the country who have 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... We suspect that the poorer the area you live in, the less likely you are to climb to the heights of quango board membership." "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...
The government says that people appointed to quango boards are chosen on merit alone. "We suspect that the poorer the area you live in, the less likely you are to climb to the heights of quango board membership."
But the report authors say more national quangos should be based outside London.
Matthew Elliot from the Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group said the research showed that "quangos are utterly unaccountable, and run by unrepresentative and over-privileged bureaucrats."Matthew Elliot from the Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group said the research showed that "quangos are utterly unaccountable, and run by unrepresentative and over-privileged bureaucrats."
From 0900 on Thursday 14 February, you will be able to look up how well represented your area is by going to www.nlgn.org.uk.