Regional Government

Government Office for the South West -GOSW

Background of Organisation

GOSW is an outpost of central government and part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Offices are placed in Bristol, Plymouth and Truro to represent the work and interests of several Government departments:

• Department for Transport (DFT)
• Department for Education & Skills (DfES)
• Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Department of Trade & Industry (DTI)
• Home Office (HO)
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
• Department of Health (DOH)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Organisational Objectives

GOSW aims to tackle issues that cut across the boundaries of more than one Whitehall department and as part of central Government. and informs the development of departments' policies from a regional perspective.

The following six directorates are headed by Regional Director, Jane Henderson and cover the respective regional policies:

• Regional Policies and Enterprise
• Local Government, Housing and Planning
• Sustainability, Intelligence & Rural Affairs
• Young People, Regeneration and Communities
• Transport and European Programmes
• Corporate Services
• Crime, Drugs and Emergencies

Relevant Policies, Projects & Activities

The Government Office for the South West is committed to sustainable development as a guiding principle for all its work, whether delivered directly or through our regional partners.

Under specific circumstances and acting on behalf of the First Secretary of State in a number of development control matters, this regional office may influence the contents of EIA, review 'called in' planning applications, provide feedback on development plans drafted by local authorities and where necessary make the 'formal objections' and advise the Secretary of State on future amendments. Other than that the Office does not have any policing and monitoring role in the development control procedure.

A Sustainability and Environmental Technologies Team(SETT) is working in partnership towards a more sustainable and resource efficient region. At the same time an Enterprise Team may within its remit:

• Influence the development and delivery of policies at national and regional levels.
• Performance monitor regional players, including Regional Development Agencies (RDAs)
• Provide regional knowledge and intelligence, especially on the economy and business issues.
• Communicate Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) policies to business and others in the regions, and acting as a channel for business and other opinion back to DTI

For more information follow link to : About GOSW