| AdminHistory | The Regional Assembly for Yorkshire and Humberside held its inaugural meeting on 8 July 1996. It encompassed the work of three pre-existing bodies: the Regional Planning Conference, the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Association and the European Office.
The purpose of the Assembly, as outlined in its constitution, was: "to act as a strategic body for local government and for the promotion of democratic locally elected community leadership in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. In doing so, the Assembly will seek to develop consensus and promote the economic, social and environmental interests of the region and to secure improvements in the quality of life for all its citizens. The Assembly will adhere to the principle of subsidiarity that regards local authorities as the principal unit of local governance and will concern itself with those matters that require regional approach and which cannot effectively be dealt with at the local authority level."
Membership was open to all principal councils in the region. The main business was conducted by the Leaders group (with chief executives attending to offer guidance). The Assembly's secretariat was based in Wakefield. In 1996 the Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council was appointed Honorary Secretary. |