The Regional View Presented by a Government Office representative from each Region. Each event included a presentation on the regional view of skill needs, regeneration and priorities for learning.Although the characteristics of the different regions varied widely - rural issues were important in the South West and North Yorkshire, for example - many of the underlying problems were the same and the approaches to tackling them also had much in common. Examples from the regions clearly illustrated the link between social inclusion and economic development. Regeneration can only be partially successful if some sections of the population are left behind:conversely, it is possible to create a virtuous circle.Strong, self- sufficient communities make fewer demands on public resources.As individuals find opportunities to develop their skills, find jobs and bring salaries into their home area, untapped new markets open up, expanding employment opportunities and enhancing prosperity. These sessions expanded the canvas to cover additional initiatives and funding sources administered on a regional basis, including: the Skills Development Fund European Union Objectives 2 and 3 funding - the former aimed at targeted areas, the latter spread across a region, plus EU Objective 1 funding in Cornwall and South Yorkshire CMF UK online Learning Centres - there are now over 1250 of these nationally the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal - incorporating New Deal for Communities and the National Strategy Action Plan which provides several strands of implementation funding, with the overall intention of improving mainstream services in the most deprived areas the new Adult Basic Skills Strategy - in which regions will play a full part, supported by significant extra funding, and assisted by newly appointed Regional Co-ordinators. Government Offices for the Regions (GOs) and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are the key players, in turn dealing with Local Authorities and, through them, the Local Strategic Partnerships which are being established first in the most deprived neighbourhoods and subsequently in other areas. The key question posed was how regional and sub-regional structures can best be made to complement each other.What do local LSCs, GOs, RDAs and others need to do to ensure the activity they support dovetails in a coherent, even seamless way that maximises the impact of resources and, most importantly, makes sense from the point of view of the learner and potential learner?

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