Culture Minister Margaret Hodge today announced plans to strengthen DCMS engagement in regional policy through a new, simplified and improved way of working.

For the first time, the Department's four key agencies in the regions - Arts Council England, Sport England, English Heritage and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council - will have a duty to work together to jointly deliver a core set of shared priorities across the culture and sport agenda.

These priorities include:

• Regional Strategies;
• Local Area Agreements;
• Local Government commitment to culture and sport;
• Place Shaping; and
• LOCOG liaison on 2012 and the Cultural Olympiad.

This alliance, working with partners in local authorities, the Regional Development Agencies, and other partner organisations, will agree top priorities and create joint plans of action for the culture and sport agendas for their region. These new arrangements will still enable the four agencies to continue with their existing and continuing sector specific responsibilities, but will also introduce a way of using contributions from all regional partners in a more targeted and effective way.

The plans announced today are the result of a review into the Department's regional infrastructure, led by Margaret Hodge. They will come into effect over the next 12 months and replace the Department's eight Non Departmental Public Bodies, the Regional Cultural Consortiums. This will deliver long-term savings that will be reinvested directly into culture and sport provision.

Culture Minister Margaret Hodge said:
"We have come a long way in strengthening the case for the role of culture and sport at the heart of a region, its economy and its aspirations. That's thanks in no small part to the work of our cultural consortia and their Boards over the last nine years.

But the regional landscape is shifting. With the new Local Area Agreements imminent and Integrated Regional Strategies on the horizon we need to put delivery at the heart of the debate at this critical time. We can only do that by coupling advocacy with action, speaking with a stronger more unified voice across our sectors and giving a better service to Local Government and Regional Development Agency partners."