THE future of the North-East will come under the spotlight tonight as The Northern Echo hosts a conference fringe meeting.

The meeting is titled Life After the Big 'No': Where Does the North-East Go From Here?, which refers to last year's resounding referendum defeat.

The guests will be Alan Milburn, Labour's election co-ordinator and Darlington MP; Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon; John Elliott, the Bishop Auckland businessman who led the North-East Says No campaign; and Andrew Sugden, the director of policy at the North-East Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting takes on even more significance with yesterday's report by a Conservative-leaning think-tank, which says Britain now has 529 quangos financed by taxpayers.

The report, for the Economic Research Council and the Centre for Policy Studies, said £1.8bn a year is spent on regional development agencies (RDAs) such as One NorthEast and Yorkshire Forward, which "appears to be almost entirely wasted".

The Tories have pledged to dismantle the RDAs.

Gateshead East and Washington West MP Joyce Quin said: "I think we need to change Government policy in terms of the Barnett Formula, which is out of date.

"We need some public way of getting people to come together to raise the profile of the region and identify its most pressing needs."

Mr Elliott said: "John Prescott says there are too many quangos. I agree. So why not reduce them now?"

However, Mr Sugden said: "Some see the referendum as an endorsement for the tearing down of England's regional governance structures, but others, myself included, counsel against throwing the baby out with the bathwater."

Tonight's meeting is in Room C2 of The Sage at 7.30pm.

It will be open to all delegates with security clearance.