OUR family tree is very much open to interpretation.

It does not include the structures in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, and it does not include such semi-democratic organisations as primary care trusts or police authorities (interestingly, only yesterday the Tories announced they would introduce direct elections to the police authorities making them more democratic).

GOVERNMENT OFFICE NORTH-EAST

THIS is the Government's representative in the North-East.

Whitehall departments decide how money should be spent and then dole the money out to GONE to spend on things such as education, transport, environment, crime, culture, councils etc. In 2003/2004, GONE spent £760.3m in the region.

With consultation with the Department for Trade and Industry, GONE appoints the directors of One NorthEast.

ONE NORTHEAST

THE regional development agency, with a budget in 2003/2004 of £267m.

The strategy for spending that money is worked out by a board of directors, although they have to hit 16 targets set by the Government.

The board of directors, chaired by Margaret Fay, currently includes a director of Northumbrian Water, a regional housing charity executive, a university vice-chancellor, a call centre chief executive, the chief executive of Federation Brewery, a Teesdale district councillor, a Durham county councillor and the regional secretary of the Trades Union Congress.

Five directors changed in mid-December, with Ray Mallon being one of the new appointees.

The directors receive advice from six Regional Steering Groups, the most developed of which appears to be the North-East Productivity Alliance. It is run by chairman John Cushnaghan, the former managing director of Nissan, and 12 unpaid board members.

The directors' strategy is then put into operation by One NorthEast's 300 employees, headed by chief executive Alan Clarke.

However, since 2001, One NorthEast has devolved 75 per cent of its budget to its four Sub-Regional Partnerships (SRPs) in Durham, Northumberland, Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear.

These are autonomous organisations that receive independent direction from local business and community leaders and stakeholders.

Durham's SRP is divided into four "lead partnerships", with about 50 appointees in each.

Feeding into the SRPs are Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), which are funded by local councils, but which try to operate independently.

LSPs are controlled by boards of appointed local big-wigs, and have smaller groups that look at local themes - usually economic development, public health, learning and crime reduction - and local areas.

NORTH-EAST ASSEMBLY

IT has 72 members, 47 of them appointed by the 28 councils in the North-East, and 25 members appointed as "economic and social" partners from trade unions, voluntary organisations, churches and business.

It is chaired by Stockton Borough Council leader Bob Gibson, and its vice-chairman is Paul Briggs, of the Confederation of British Industry.

It is funded by subscriptions totalling £850,000 from North-East councils and by a Government grant.

Its job is to provide a "strategic lead in driving improved economic performance", and it also looks after broader regional interests such as transport and planning. These roles came together late last year with its publication of the Regional Spatial Strategy, which will provide the direction for One NorthEast.

In helping it to create such strategies, there are a number of forums of advisers. SustaiNE is one of them, which is expert in improving quality of life. It has 13 board members, including representatives from the RSPB and the Environment Agency, and is chaired by Teesdale district councillor Phil Hughes.

The assembly's other job is to scrutinise the work done by One NorthEast. Panels of assembly members take evidence from the public to assess how well the RDA is doing its job.

TEES VALLEY

WHEREAS Tees Valley does not have the four lead partnerships of Durham, it does have three groups and five unitary councils.

Tees Valley Partnership is its SRP. It has 25 members and looks after the money handed down to the sub-region by One NorthEast.

Tees Valley Regeneration is the property development company owned by the five councils and the Government.

It has five projects on the go - Central Park, Darlington; Victoria Harbour, Hartlepool; North Shore, Stockton; Middlehaven, Middlesbrough; and the expansion of Teesside Airport.

It is the country's largest urban regeneration company, which has a budget of £1.5bn, and its board of directors is made up of representatives of the five councils plus local businessmen such as Middlesbrough Football Club's Steve Gibson.

The Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit pulls together all the things the five individual councils cannot manage on their own; strategic planning, economic development, transport planning, European negotiations, tourism etc.

It is overseen by a committee made up of councillors.

Leaders aiming to help regeneration

A PARTNERSHIP

SO who runs the North-East? These are the people on one group - the Tees Valley Partnership -who oversee the economic regeneration, in partnership with plenty of other organisations, of this sub-region.

Alistair Arkley (outgoing chairman): Representing the private sector.

John Bennett: Representing the voluntary sector.

Bob Cuffe: North-East Chamber of Commerce chairman.

Terry Dabbs: Learning and Skills Council chairman.

Stuart Drummond: Hartlepool Mayor.

Councillor Eric Empson: Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council chairman.

Professor Brian Footitt: Redcar and Cleveland Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) chairman.

Chief Constable Paul Garvin: Durham Police.

Councillor Bob Gibson: Stockton Borough Council leader.

Stella Guy: Representing trade unions.

Professor Graham Henderson: Teesside University vice-chancellor and chief executive.

Caroline Hughes: Business Link Tees Valley chairwoman.

Alistair MacConachie: Darlington LSP chairman.

Ray Mallon: Middlesbrough Mayor.

Colin McLeod: Middlesbrough LSP chairman

Peter Middleton: Tees Valley Regeneration's outgoing chairman.

Chief Constable Sean Price: Cleveland Police.

Peter Rowley: Connexions Tees Valley chairman.

Rob Statham: Representing Durham University.

Tony Sutcliffe: Principal, representing the Colleges of Further Education.

Alison Thain: Tees Valley Tomorrow chairwoman.

Tony Waites: County Durham and Tees Valley Health chairman.

Councillor John Williams: Darlington Borough Council leader.

Chris Willis: Stockton LSP chairman.

Iain Wright: MP and Hartlepool LSP chairman.